Last week, leaders from across the dental support organization (DSO) industry gathered in Las Vegas for the Women in DSO Empower & Grow Conference, an event focused on leadership, growth, and the operational realities of scaling modern dental organizations.
The conference brings together executives, operators, and industry partners to share what they’re seeing in the market and the challenges DSOs are working through as they grow. While the event is centered on supporting and elevating women leaders across the dental industry, many of the discussions also touched on broader trends that DSOs are navigating today.
After spending several days listening to presentations and speaking with other leaders in the industry, it became clear that many organizations are navigating the same challenges. From artificial intelligence and revenue cycle management to software integrations and operational efficiency, discussions returned to the common theme: helping DSOs grow without creating unnecessary complexity.
Here are five technology and operational themes that stood out during this year’s Empower & Grow Conference.
AI is reshaping revenue cycle management, with new tools emerging to automate claims, improve documentation, and reduce administrative workload.
Many DSOs are prioritizing same-store growth, focusing on improving scheduling, patient financing, and operational efficiency within existing locations.
System integration challenges remain common, as organizations rely on multiple platforms that don’t always communicate effectively.
Centralizing core systems is becoming more important, helping leadership teams improve visibility and make more informed decisions across locations.
Cybersecurity investment still has room to grow, even as DSOs adopt more cloud-based systems and connected technologies.
One of the most common topics that surfaced throughout the conference was the growing role of artificial intelligence in dental operations. While AI is being explored across several areas of the industry, one problem stood out as a major focus: revenue cycle management.
For DSOs, revenue cycle management remains one of the most complex and labor-intensive parts of the business. The process of submitting claims, coordinating with insurance providers, verifying documentation, and billing patients often requires significant manual effort from administrative teams.
Much of this complexity comes from the way insurance workflows operate. Each insurer has its own forms, approval requirements, and submission processes, which means staff often spend significant time tracking down documentation, verifying codes, and following up on claims. In many organizations, this still involves back-and-forth phone calls with insurance companies to resolve issues or secure approvals.
Because of this, leaders at the conference expressed strong interest in how AI could help streamline parts of the revenue cycle. Vendors are actively developing tools that automate claim preparation, improve documentation accuracy, and reduce the administrative burden placed on staff.
As these solutions mature, AI will likely play a major role in simplifying revenue cycle management and reducing the administrative burden placed on dental organizations.
Another theme that came up throughout the conference was the growing emphasis on same-store growth. With tighter economic conditions and more selective private equity investment, DSOs are looking for ways to increase performance within their existing locations rather than relying solely on acquisitions.
Discussions focused on how organizations can maximize the productivity of the practices they already operate. That includes making it easier for patients to accept treatment, improving scheduling efficiency, and ensuring that providers have the resources they need to see patients without delays.
One common example is patient financing. When patients have clear and accessible financing options, they are more likely to move forward with recommended care. Several attendees noted that improving financing workflows can directly impact production and case acceptance rates.
Another major factor is simply keeping chairs filled. If a provider is out or a position is temporarily vacant, unused chair time can quickly translate into lost revenue. Some organizations are turning to staffing platforms such as Kwikly, which help fill temporary gaps and allow practices to continue seeing patients while permanent staffing issues are resolved.
Operational reliability also plays a role. Even small disruptions, such as imaging systems going down, sensors malfunctioning, or software issues, can interrupt patient flow. As DSOs scale across multiple locations, ensuring consistent technology performance and minimizing downtime becomes increasingly important to maintaining productivity across the organization.
The next topic that surfaced during the conference was the challenge of integrating the systems DSOs rely on to operate their practices.
Modern dental organizations often use a wide range of platforms, including practice management systems, imaging software, revenue cycle tools, patient communication platforms, and analytics solutions. While each system may provide valuable functionality on its own, problems often arise when those systems don't integrate well with one another.
Many attendees described how disconnected platforms can create operational friction across their organizations. Staff may need to enter the same information into multiple systems, manually transfer data between platforms, or work around limitations in how software communicates with other tools. Over time, these workarounds can slow down workflows and introduce opportunities for errors.
In some cases, these challenges stem from limited or underdeveloped APIs between vendors. When systems cannot easily exchange information, practices may struggle to maintain consistent data across locations or fully leverage the analytics and automation capabilities organizations hope to implement.
As DSOs continue to adopt new technologies, integration is becoming just as important as the individual tools themselves. Organizations are increasingly evaluating not only what a system can do, but also how well it fits within their broader technology ecosystem.
Another insight shared during the conference was the growing importance of centralizing core systems as DSOs scale.
It's common for organizations to start with a mix of practice management platforms across locations, particularly after acquisitions. While this approach can work in the early stages of growth, it often becomes more difficult to manage as organizations expand. Multiple systems can create challenges around reporting, analytics, and operational consistency.
Centralizing practice management systems is becoming an increasingly common strategy for improving visibility across the organization. When data flows through a single platform, leadership teams can more easily analyze performance, monitor production trends, and make more informed decisions across locations.
Centralization can also help enable other initiatives DSOs are pursuing, including data analytics and artificial intelligence. When systems and data are standardized, organizations are better positioned to take advantage of emerging technologies that rely on consistent and reliable data.
As DSOs continue to grow, leaders are evaluating whether their current technology environments are built for scale. In many cases, simplifying and standardizing core systems is becoming a key step toward supporting long-term growth.
While several discussions at the conference focused on growth and operational efficiency, cybersecurity also surfaced as an important reminder for many organizations.
During one presentation, a live audience poll revealed that a significant number of organizations are not investing as heavily in IT and cybersecurity as the risk environment demands. The result came as a surprise and reinforced a concern that security investments sometimes lag behind other operational priorities.
For DSOs operating across multiple locations, cybersecurity risks can quickly compound. A breach affecting one location can have implications for the entire organization, especially when systems and patient data are shared across networks.
As dental organizations continue to adopt more cloud-based systems, connected devices, and integrated software platforms, maintaining strong security practices becomes increasingly important. Ensuring that access controls, data protection policies, and backup strategies are in place can help reduce risk as organizations scale.
While cybersecurity may not always be the most visible topic in conversations about growth, it remains a foundational part of building resilient technology environments that support long-term expansion.
Events like the Women in DSO Empower & Grow Conference offer a valuable opportunity to step back and see where the industry is heading. While each organization has its own priorities, the conversations throughout the event made it clear that DSOs are navigating similar operational and technology challenges as they grow.
At Ntiva, we work closely with DSOs across the country and stay connected with many of the vendors and partners serving the dental industry. That perspective helps us bring practical insights, make helpful introductions, and support organizations as they navigate technology decisions and operational challenges.
If you're exploring ways to strengthen your technology foundation or simplify operations as your organization grows, you can learn more about Ntiva’s IT services and support for dental organizations or schedule a conversation with one of our dental IT experts.