Alcan Dental Cooperative: Defending Pediatric Dentistry from Private Equity

In today’s healthcare landscape, corporate interests continue to encroach upon patient-centered care, prioritizing profits over people. Nowhere is this more evident than in dentistry, where large DSOs have begun to dominate the market.  In response, Alcan Dental Cooperative was created to advocate and preserve ethical, high-quality pediatric dental care provided by doctor owners.

The Rise of Corporate Dentistry

Over the past decade, DSOs have expanded their reach, buying out local practices and shifting priorities toward revenue generation rather than patient well-being. Many of these organizations emphasize high patient turnover, aggressive treatment plans, and cost-cutting measures. While these business strategies may boost profits, they often do so at the expense of thorough diagnostics, preventive care, and the personalized attention pediatric patients need.

How Alcan Dental Cooperative Fights Back

Alcan Dental Cooperative stands as a counterforce to this trend by championing a cooperative model that places ethical treatment and patient care above profit margins. The cooperative operates on several key principles:

1. Patient-Centered Care – Unlike corporate chains that impose quotas and sales-driven models, Alcan ensures that pediatric dentists have the autonomy to make decisions based solely on a child’s oral health needs.
2. Transparency and Integrity – The cooperative prioritizes honesty in treatment recommendations, avoiding unnecessary procedures that drive up costs for families.
3. Community-Driven Approach – Alcan fosters local engagement, reinvesting in the communities it serves and supporting programs that educate children and parents on dental hygiene.
4. Fair market value for Dentists – Rather than being pressured by corporate mandates, dentists within the cooperative are fairly compensated for quality care, fostering a professional environment that prioritizes excellence over volume.
5. Keeping the dream of Pediatric Dental ownership alive – Alcan offers the robust services of large DSOs while placing the equity and value creation in the doctor’s hands, not in the hands of investment bankers.
6. Fostering and growing your own clinical brand and style – Alcan believes patient care is a personal matter between the patient and dentist and should not be dictated by a top down, profit-motivated agenda.

Why It Matters for Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric dentistry is unique in its approach, requiring specialized training and a gentle, compassionate manner to ensure young patients feel comfortable. The rise of corporate interests often leads to environments that prioritize efficiency over emotional well-being, potentially instilling fear in children and discouraging necessary dental visits.

Alcan Dental Cooperative seeks to protect the integrity of pediatric dentistry by advocating for ethical standards and ensuring that financial incentives never come before a child’s health. By maintaining independence from corporate influences, Alcan safeguards a future where pediatric dentists can focus entirely on their young patients, ensuring they receive the best care possible.

The Future of Ethical Pediatric Dentistry

As corporate dentistry continues to expand with continued consolidation on the horizon, the battle for ethical patient care becomes more pressing. Alcan Dental Cooperative sets an example for how the pediatric dental profession can resist corporate pressures and remain dedicated to the well-being of children. By supporting cooperative models and locally owned practices with like-minded cohorts, communities can ensure that quality pediatric dental care remains accessible, compassionate, and free from corporate exploitation.

For pediatric dental professionals alike, the choice is clear: support ethical pediatric dental care and push back against corporate greed to protect the smiles of future generations.  Join us in preserving pediatric dentistry with the best of process, procedure, equity, and long-term value creation for our providers.