One Year In: Lessons from an Out-of-Network Pediatric Dental Startup
Dr. Dan Dinowitz and his wife Michelle didn’t take the easy route. When they opened Voorhees Pediatric Dentistry, they moved to a new town, built a brand from scratch, and launched as a fully out-of-network pediatric practice. A year later, they joined Shane Simmons on the Dental Practice Launch Podcast to share what that first year really looked like.
We’re breaking down what they learned: from handling insurance questions to building trust in a new town, Dan and Michelle share what really works, and what to expect, when launching from scratch.
The First 12–14 Months: Chaos, Growth, and Perspective
Dan described the first six months as having “a thousand things in his head at once.” Between relocating, raising kids, hiring a team, and opening a brand-new practice, everything hit at once. But a few key choices made the chaos manageable:
- Authenticity in marketing — Real, unpolished videos on social resonated better than overproduced content.
- Pre-launch patient lead list — Generating interest months ahead created early patient flow, often 3 to 4 per day.
- Patience and big-picture thinking — Tracking trends rather than reacting to daily ups and downs helped them stay focused.
Building Reputation and Reaching Key Milestones
Reputation isn’t built overnight, but certain milestones helped Voorhees Pediatric gain traction:
- Month 6: The recall cycle kicked in, with returning patients stabilizing production.
- Month 9: A local mom-influencer’s video went viral, sending over 50 new patients their way.
- Ongoing community events: Story time sessions, school visits, and local sponsorships helped them engage nearly 2,000 kids within a year.
Each layer of engagement, from early leads to digital visibility to in-person connections, moved them from “never heard of you” to “oh yeah, we know them.”
Marketing Strategy: Relationship-Driven, Multi-Channel
Rather than leaning on one tactic, they built a diversified, relationship-based strategy:
- Local SEO and search visibility built trust when parents looked them up.
- Google and social ads increased awareness, but required patience to deliver ROI.
- Events and sponsorships made them visible to families face-to-face.
- Influencer partnerships delivered huge bursts of new-patient activity.
- Authentic social content gave parents a glimpse into the real culture of the practice.
The result? A marketing mix that supported long-term growth and created layers of patient trust.
Out-of-Network: Framing It as a Benefit, Not a Barrier
Instead of apologizing for being out-of-network, Voorhees Pediatric leaned into it, with transparency and helpful scripts:
- The front desk always starts by asking whether the caller plans to use dental benefits.
- If yes, they gather the plan info and explain how reimbursement works.
- They clarify why they’re out-of-network, more time with patients, better materials, no compromises.
- They’re honest about variability, some families pay very little, others more, depending on coverage.
- They file claims for patients and support them through the process.
Some insurers still send checks to patients instead of providers, which remains a challenge, but the team handles it with empathy and persistence.
Operational Lessons: Time, Team, and Scaling with Intention
Michelle and Dan shared several lessons about balancing growth and quality:
- Protect family time — Dan admits to losing evenings on social media engagement, and they’re now setting healthier boundaries.
- Hire for culture fit — As they prepare to add a hygienist, alignment with their patient-first philosophy matters more than experience alone.
- Track financial progress — They reached break-even by month nine and have been profitable since.
- Hold regular team brainstorms — Quarterly meetings keep the patient experience evolving and team energy high.
Review Strategy: Design the Experience, Reviews Will Follow
One year in, Voorhees Pediatric has a bank of five-star Google reviews, many of them detailed and story-rich. That’s no accident.
Before they ever opened, they wrote a fictional “ideal patient review” to guide the experience they wanted to deliver. Then they designed every touchpoint, from welcome to clinical care to follow-up, with that vision in mind.
They also use a well-timed automated text to invite patients to leave a review. The result: reviews that feel personal, specific, and powerful for future parents considering the practice.
Resilience and Mindset: Patience Over Perfection
Throughout the conversation, Dan and Michelle returned to one key theme: delayed gratification.
“There will be bad days, many of them. We should not dance around that topic.”
They offered a few mindset habits that helped:
- Reverse-engineer your vision — Build your systems around the experience you want patients to have.
- Be kind to yourself — Startup life is heavy. Protect your mental health and take breaks.
- Zoom out — Daily dips happen. Watch trends, not single days.
- Surround yourself with support — Trusted marketing partners, coaches, and your spouse or team matter more than you think.
Practical Tips for New Practice Owners
- Map your ideal patient experience first. Build backwards from there.
- Start marketing and building patient interest before you open.
- Diversify your marketing mix with search, social, events, and influencers.
- Create an exceptional patient experience that naturally leads to strong reviews.
- Train your team on clear, honest insurance conversations.
- Track key milestones like break-even and hiring capacity.
- Accept that growth includes hard days, and momentum builds over time.
Looking Ahead: Growth Without Sacrificing Values
In year two, Dan and Michelle plan to expand slowly, with their first hygienist hire and a continued focus on profitability without compromising care. Their goal: grow while protecting what makes the practice special.
That means any new team member has to believe in their philosophy. Systems will need to scale, but not dilute. It’s about deepening the roots, not just adding branches.
Want to Build a Patient-First Practice That Grows?
Voorhees Pediatric Dentistry’s story shows how powerful it is to lead with values, clarity, and a long-game mindset. Their first year wasn’t perfect, but it was intentional, well-planned, and rooted in community.
Thinking about a startup or acquisition? Start with the experience. Build trust. Be consistent. And remember, success isn’t about skipping the hard days, it’s about what you learn from them.
Thinking About Starting a Dental Practice of Your Own?
Launching a new dental brand, especially out-of-network, comes with unique challenges. At Crimson Media, we help practices grow with smart strategy, authentic branding, and proven marketing systems. Let’s talk about your next step.