Some of these establishments are dentist owned and operated, some are branches of chains, while others may be franchises. The dentist may lease the space directly and set up a private practice within the store. In other arrangements, space is leased from the store by a separate administrative group, which then subleases to a dentist or dental group providing the dental services. Additional dentists may be involved practicing as independent contractors or employees of the practice. A key objective of retail dentistry is to target a patient population that normally does not see a dentist on a regular basis.
Many offices handle all the insurance claims and paperwork involved in third party reimbursement.
Advantages Some retail dentistry arrangements may allow a dentist to establish a practice without having to make a significant financial investment. Often a management group is responsible for the business activities of the dental clinic which allows the practitioner to concentrate on the clinical aspects of dentistry. The ability to practice on a part-time basis is available, if desired. Costs may be reduced by purchasing commonly used materials and equipment in volume. This setting eliminates costly billing procedures if in-house credit facilities are utilized.