A History of Success

The Smile Partners USA footprint has a long history of doctor-led success. Starting in 1982, Dr. Mark Bouchillon began Redwood Dental as a single office in Warren, MI. From there, he expanded to eight Redwood Dental practices across Metro Detroit. Once Dr. Bouchillon realized the possibilities of extending the highest quality care to patients in markets beyond his current reach, he knew he needed help. This is where Vito Dacchille’s experience came in and what is now known as Smile Partners USA was born.

Having previously served as the CEO of two larger dental groups, Vito stepped in to become CEO of Smile Partners USA and make Dr. Bouchillon’s “provider-first” grand vision a reality. Some of these techniques include reallocating resources to enhance the hygiene program, improve fee schedules, bolster IT infrastructure, and more.

As the CEO of Smile Partners USA, Vito’s strong leadership has solidified the core values established by Dr. Bouchillon that are the framework of success and long-term sustainability. He impresses the need for strong relationships with each of the teams, patients, and communities they serve. Vito’s ability to mentor, develop, and guide the organization has been a major factor in the organization’s success to date.

Both in and outside of his career, Vito attributes his success to his father. Vito’s dad, Vincent, immigrated from Italy with nothing in 1950.

Eventually, he built one of the most successful restaurants in upstate New York with minimal education and financial support. He was the consummate professional and an extremely loyal and present family man, which Vito strives to be. His father was a self-made man who established key principles for Vito early on, like a fierce work ethic, a humble servant leadership style, and the ability to be charismatic and connect with all kinds of people regardless of age, race, or background. Armed with these qualities, the steadfast leader has been taking Smile Partners USA to new heights.

Commitment to The Patients

The dentists and clinical staff that comprise the Smile Partners USA network are truly invested in the oral and overall health of their patients. According to Vito, that’s one of the key factors that makes Smile Partners USA so successful. “Our support teams and affiliated doctors are aligned by the common goal of providing legendary experiences to their patients and teams,” says Vito.

Smile Partners empowers affiliated practices to focus on their love of making people smile—with the peace of mind knowing operations, purchasing, staffing, marketing, financials, and more are all covered. The way that Vito has embraced their model of doctor-led offices has fostered further success. With the doctors in charge of the clinical decisions at their offices, they continue to deliver the highest quality of care for their patients. They can focus 100% of their efforts on patient care, education, and enhancing teamwork, knowing that they have a trusted and accountable support network being them.

The organization has been helping people with dental anxiety and assisting them to relax throughout treatment. “It all starts with the relationship, focus on delivering legendary customer service, and our goal to have every patient be with us for a lifetime. We value our teams and treat them with respect. This relationship with our team is extended to our patients,” explains Vito. “The practices we support treat their patients as friends, showing them appreciation, and keeping communication open which, in turn, helps them relax, feel more comfortable, and embrace our recommendations throughout treatment.”

Continuous Improvement

The Smile Partners network provides doctors and dental teams with a community of like-minded peers, enabling them to collaborate and continuously improve treatment options and patient experiences. According to Vito, Smile Partners USA thrives on competition. It makes them better and allows them to live one of their core values, continuous improvement.

“We never settle on our laurels or become complacent. Whether it’s adjusting flexible hours, creating non-insurance discount programs, or improving the touchpoints with patients (website, phone calls, first impressions), we find a way to make a connection,” he says. “One of our many differentiating factors is the retention of doctors in our network. We boast a 90%+ retention rate and over 20 years of experience, by office. That continuity of care helps build trust and long-lasting relationships with the patients and communities we serve and inspires patients to leave stellar reviews and recommend friends and family to our affiliated practices.”

Leaders in Technology

In today’s digital age, convenience has charged to the forefront of society. Patients now demand a dental experience that matches the rest of their digital lives. Smile Partners USA provides access to the latest dental technologies to all the offices it supports. This includes digital x-rays which are safer and faster than traditional x-rays; 3D scanners which allow their expert teams to create an exact digital replica of patients’ teeth; and so much more.

Being equipped with leading-edge technology helps clinical teams with an accurate diagnosis, treatment plan, and overall efficiency of care. In some cases, like with crowns, improved technology has shortened the treatment process from multiple appointments over two weeks to one appointment that lasts about two hours. Advancements like this better serve the patients as they can streamline their treatment—resulting in an easier process, less time off work, and less time spent in the dentist’s office. In addition, Smile Partners USA keeps convenience for the patient in mind by offering friendly hours, a wide array of payment options, and more.

A Future of Growth

One of Smile Partner’s biggest achievements to-date has been its recovery, post COVID-19. Offices in its network never completely shut down during those 60+ days of the initial closures. Instead, they remained available to handle dental emergencies and do their part to alleviate people from visiting the already crowded hospitals. “When we fully reopened in June 2020, we were overwhelmed with the responses of our patients returning quickly—a great sign of their trust and confidence that we would keep them safe while helping with their oral health needs.”

Recently, Smile Partners USA has announced the acquisition of Luma Dentistry—a leading provider of general dentistry and oral surgery services operating with nine offices throughout the Birmingham, AL area. Under Vito’s hands-on guidance, Smile Partners USA has grown to over 65 locations spanning across four distinct markets in Michigan, Georgia, Illinois, and, most recently, Alabama. Plus, it has announced the acquisition of multiple other general and specialty dentistry practices across these markets. “Each of our partner offices is diverse and independent, yet they share a unified passion for the health and comfort of their patients and the continued strong relationships built within their respective communities. These are the pillars we’ve built Smile Partners USA around.”

Smile Partners USA plans to continue to improve the dental experience for all the patients in their partner offices. They facilitate upgrades to several offices in their network to create a safe, state-of-the-art environment to provide the best possible care. They are also enhancing referral programs and payment options. As Smile Partners USA continues to grow, it will be able to provide more comprehensive services to affiliated dental practices in its network and exceed patients’ expectations.