Steven C. Bilt, Chief Executive Officer of Smile Brands Inc. spoke about the importance of culture as a driver of business performance in the dental industry during a panel discussion at Dykema’s 6th Annual Definitive Conference for Dental Service Organizations (DSOs). The event was held on July 11th at the Omni Dallas Hotel in Dallas, Texas.
Bilt co-founded Smile Brands Inc. in 1998 and has been instrumental at shaping the DSO industry. The company is driven by its mission of delivering Smiles For Everyone® which serves as the guiding principal for creating win-win relationships with employees, providers, patients, and communities. Smile Brands was honored as the #2 ranked healthcare employer in the U.S. on Glassdoor’s 2019 Best Places to Work list, and Steve Bilt has twice been named a Glassdoor Top CEO.
“I was thrilled to be asked to talk about the relationship between culture and business success, as I think the two are inextricably linked,” explains Bilt. “Dentistry is and always will be about people. When we get the culture part right, it naturally extends to the patients and communities we serve. At Smile Brands, the culture not only helps us hire and retain great talent, but it drives every business decision and ultimately shapes the entire patient experience.”
Both Bilt and co-panelist, Stanley Bergman, Chairman and CEO of Henry Schein, Inc., stressed the importance of giving back to the community as a key component of their respective organizational cultures. Smile Brands launched the Smiles For Everyone Foundation in 2011with the goal of providing free dental care to those in need. With the support of the organization’s affiliated providers and employee volunteers, the Foundation has delivered nearly $17 million in donated dentistry to over 22K low income individuals in the U.S. and at its international outposts across the world.
An event designed for practice owners, executives, and investors, Dykema’s Conference for DSOs assembled well-renowned thought leaders in the dental industry to share their experiences and best practices with attendees. Several panels covered the accelerating rates of dental industry consolidation. Patrick Costello, Smile Brands Director of Business Development also spoke at the conference, sharing his perspective on working with transitioning practice owners and how to create value in the affiliate integration process.
About Smile Brands Inc.
Based in Irvine California, Smile Brands Inc. is one of the largest providers of support services to dental groups in the United States. Recently ranked #25 on Glassdoor’s 2019 Best Places to Work list, Smile Brands Inc. provides comprehensive business support services through exclusive long term agreements with affiliate dental groups, so dentists can spend more time caring for their patients and less time on the administrative, marketing, and financial aspects of operating a dental practice. Smile Brands supports 400 Bright Now!® Dental, Monarch Dental®, Castle Dental®, A+ Dental Care, OneSmile Dental, Johnson Family Dental, P3 Dental Group, and DecisionOne Dental Partners offices in 17 states, including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. Smile Brands is a portfolio company of Gryphon Investors, a leading middle-market private equity firm based in San Francisco, CA. For more information, visit https://34.227.229.150.