Scaling your dental practice may sound like a massive leap—especially if you're preparing to open your first location—but with the right plan and mindset, it’s entirely within reach. In fact, planning for growth from day one could be one of the smartest decisions you make.
In this episode of The Startup Dentist podcast, I sat down with Dr. Andrew Vallo, who shares his journey of scaling from a solo dental startup to a thriving multi-location practice. His story is packed with real-world lessons you can use to set the right foundation—whether you're just starting or already dreaming bigger.
Most dentists plan to "just get open" first—and who can blame them? Startup life is demanding. But Dr. Vallo reminds us that if you think ahead to scalability, you'll avoid a lot of the growing pains most owners face later.
From the very beginning, he built systems and processes that weren't just good enough for one office—they could expand seamlessly to multiple locations. This included:
Documented protocols for patient flow and case acceptance
Staff training programs that could easily onboard new team members
Choosing software and vendors that could scale without needing to "start over"
If you’re serious about scaling your dental practice someday, these early decisions make all the difference.
Let’s be honest—most startup owners wear about 17 hats. (Some days it feels like more.) Dr. Vallo shared that stepping back from day-to-day operations was one of his biggest milestones. Delegation wasn’t just nice; it was necessary.
Instead of handling everything himself, he empowered a leadership team to manage the daily operations. This gave him the freedom to focus on big-picture growth—like opening new locations—without the entire system depending on his presence 24/7.
If you want your practice to grow beyond a single location, building leadership inside your team is non-negotiable.
Another key part of Dr. Vallo’s story? Strategic, consistent marketing. Not flashy, not gimmicky—but reliable and community-centered.
He leaned into professional marketing support early, combining online presence, authentic social media content, and strong local engagement. The result? Steady new patient acquisition and a loyal base that followed his brand even as it expanded.
Marketing is often treated as an afterthought during a startup. But if you're planning for future growth, it needs to be in your core strategy—right alongside floorplans, financing, and team building.
Scaling a dental practice isn’t just about sunshine and smooth sailing. Dr. Vallo was candid about the challenges too. Rapid growth exposed weaknesses in their systems that had to be addressed—fast.
But here's the thing: because they had built with scalability in mind, those obstacles became stepping stones rather than roadblocks.
Growth always introduces new problems—but if you expect them (and design your systems to adapt), they won't derail you. They'll refine you.
Even if you're still at the "future owner" stage, Dr. Vallo's journey offers powerful takeaways you can act on right now:
Start with the end in mind—build your practice like it's going to grow.
Document everything—even when it's "just you" at the beginning.
Invest in leadership, not just staffing.
Take marketing seriously from day one.
Welcome the growing pains—they’re signs you’re doing something right.
Practice ownership is about more than surviving year one. It's about building a future you're proud of—one patient, one system, one decision at a time.
At Ideal Practices, we’ve helped hundreds of dentists launch successful startups—and many have gone on to expand into thriving multi-location practices. Whether you're just starting to dream or actively planning your first opening day, there's a blueprint to do it right, the first time.
Want to hear the full story and get even more real-world advice? Listen to Dr. Vallo’s full interview here.
And when you’re ready to plan your startup—with scalability baked in from the beginning—reach out. It would be our honor to help you build something extraordinary.