DSO associate turnover hit 34% in 2025. You're not hiring doctors, you're renting them.

DSO associate turnover hit 34% in 2025. You're not hiring doctors, you're renting them.

DSO associate dentist turnover hit 34% last year. That's worse than restaurant management. For every ten associate doctors a DSO hires, three-plus are gone within a year. Some within months.

The problem isn't pay anymore. DSOs matched FFS private practice compensation years ago. The problem is culture, autonomy, and the feeling that you're a revenue unit, not a clinician. Corporatized scheduling, mandatory production goals, limited clinical input on case treatment—operators feel it.

The smart DSOs responded by giving associates real clinical ownership. They limit provider density per location. They let doctors lead case selection and treatment sequencing. They pay for continuing education without strings attached. Result: retention moved from 66% to 72%.

The broken ones doubled down on production metrics and quarterly reviews. Doctors left faster.

Here's the thing: if you're a single-practice owner and you're nervous about being acquired, look at the DSO associate turnover data. Most of the DSO industry is in churn mode. They're not acquiring for expertise or culture fit—they're acquiring for patient charts and revenue baseline. If you sell, you'll likely see turnover within 18 months.

Stay independent if your practice is profitable and your people are happy. The DSO premium isn't what it used to be.