Industry veteran Brian Frederick, with over 30 years in dental development, shares a high-level strategic view of when dentists should acquire a practice, when they should start one from scratch, and why the decision is rarely black-and-white. Brian explains how practice size, market demand, leasing strategy, and long-term growth planning shape the right path for each doctor. He also discusses why many new dentists undervalue build-outs, underestimate future expansion needs, and overlook the power of merging acquired practices into a well-designed startup.

This episode offers a realistic roadmap for doctors trying to choose between buying an existing practice with cash flow or building a modern, scalable space designed for long-term growth.

Topics include:

●       Acquisition vs. startup: key factors that make each option optimal

●       Why many older dental spaces limit growth and modern workflow

●       How lease length, square footage, and expansion potential influence success

●       Strategic advantages of merging an acquired patient base into a new startup

●       How DSOs changed the acquisition landscape—and what it means for solo owners

●       Hidden costs of retrofitting outdated dental offices

●       Why the “best practice owners” often start first, then acquire later