DoctorOwned.org cross-references multiple public data sources to determine whether a dental practice is independently owned or affiliated with a Dental Service Organization (DSO). No single source is definitive — our confidence scores combine evidence from several layers.
Public Licensing Records
Every dental practice must register with the National Provider Identifier (NPI) system. These public records include the practice's authorized official, mailing address, and organizational details. Patterns in these fields can indicate centralized corporate ownership.
Practice Location Data
DSOs publish their own location finders. We cross-reference these directly against NPI records to build a ground-truth list of confirmed DSO locations. A practice appearing on a DSO's own website is classified as affiliated regardless of how its NPI record is filed.
Business Entity Analysis
Corporate ownership structures — including subsidiary relationships, registered agent patterns, and multi-state entity filings — can reveal whether a practice is part of a larger management chain even when branded under a local name.
Network Pattern Recognition
Independent practices typically have a single location and an owner-operator dentist as their authorized official. Practices sharing operational infrastructure (billing addresses, credentialing contacts, management entities) across multiple locations indicate non-independent ownership.
Verified Independent Program
Practice owners can apply to have their status manually reviewed and marked as Verified Independent. This human-reviewed tier takes precedence over algorithmic classification. See our verification criteria on the Apply page.
Is our classification wrong?
Algorithmic classification is imperfect. If your practice is listed incorrectly, you can apply for manual review. Owner-verified practices receive a Verified Independent badge.
Apply for Verification →