Dr. Sun Yan Unveils iDSO: A New Dental Clinic Management Model Tailored for China
Dr. Sun Yan explains the iDSO model
On January 8, at the inaugural Private Dental Industry Summit convened by Meituan Dianping’s Healthcare Division, the concept of the “iDSO Shared Dental Care Model” was introduced for the first time by Dr. Sun Yan, founder of iDSO.
At the conference, Dr. Sun Yan stated that iDSO is an innovative Dental Service Organization providing management support for dental clinics. Its core team comprises executives from major U.S. DSOs alongside professionals with extensive multi-clinic management experience in China, offering comprehensive management solutions to dental practices. The concept presented by Dr. Sun sparked lively discussion and anticipation among dental industry managers present. For clinic administrators unfamiliar with the iDSO model, there was a strong desire to secure iDSO support for their own dental practices.
iDSO Concept Makes Its Debut
Following the conclusion of the inaugural Private Dental Industry Summit hosted by Meituan Dianping’s Healthcare Division, discussions surrounding iDSO have continued to resonate within the dental community. Stakeholders are increasingly focusing on understanding the nature of iDSO, the value it delivers, and the reasons behind the significant attention it has garnered in the dental sector.
In fact, the iDSO concept originated in the United States; iDSO introduces the U.S. Dental Service Organization (DSO) management system to China. The development of dental chain clinics in the United States has been more robust than that in China, largely due to their adoption of an “open-platform” model. With China’s economic growth and the rising oral health awareness among its residents, the Chinese dental industry has experienced rapid expansion in recent years. In response to increasingly informed consumers and evolving demands, how should China’s dental industry pioneer a new path forward?
Consequently, iDSO was officially launched on January 17, dedicated to helping practicing dentists in China address all challenges encountered during the startup phase. At the Advanced Management Course for Dental Clinics offered by the iDSO Business School, Dr. Sun Yan, the founder, provided an in-depth analysis of the “iDSO Service Support System and Market Competitiveness Model” as well as the “iDSO Value Proposition.” In light of the current state of dental clinics in China, he conducted a detailed examination covering aspects such as clinic layout, patient acquisition, and management.
During the iDSO course, Dr. Sun Yan outlined every scenario encountered in outpatient operations and conducted a comprehensive review, enabling dental clinic operators attending the iDSO classes to gain a clearer understanding of “business management” and initially recognize the significant value that iDSO brings to clinic operations.
B2B Business Model May Become the "New Favorite"
VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that in recent years, many investors in China have begun to channel capital into the dental industry, driving its development. Meanwhile, some dental companies have become impetuous, prioritizing rapid store expansion and scale growth, which has frequently led to poor operational performance. To help more dental clinics master business management and learn from overseas models for operating chain clinics, Dr. Sun Yan traveled to the United States five years ago to explore the concept of “DSO” (Dental Support Organizations).
Dr. Sun Yan met with the founders of three top-10 DSO companies in the United States, who introduced a concept: conducting B2B business, where the future clients would be other dental clinics rather than individual patients. The core model of U.S. chain dental clinics is B2B-oriented, providing career development solutions for dentists throughout their entire professional lifecycle.
Dr. Sun Yan stated that 70% of U.S. dentists prefer to work in DSO-model clinics after graduation, as these clinics provide systematic training and career development planning, offering “four types of support” within three to five years.
First, provide a stable work platform;
Second, provide more practical and market-oriented training programs;
Third, provide development plans;
Fourth, provide a managerial knowledge framework for operating outpatient clinics.
However, the concept of “DSO” was not yet present in China at that time. Therefore, Dr. Sun Yan founded “iDSO” three years ago. Dr. Sun Yan told VCBeat: “We are ‘iDSO.’ I hope the DSO model can develop in China, and the ‘i’ stands for ‘self,’ as I aspire to create a management and operational model that belongs to China’s dental industry.”
Dr. Sun Yan introduced the American Kaiyuanhua management model to China, conducting three years of practical exploration across dozens of outpatient clinics and even large-scale dental chain institutions. With the support of iDSO, these clinics have gradually achieved stability, built a strong reputation, and seen significant increases in revenue. Moreover, the service brand has entered the top tier of the domestic dental market rankings.
The successful practices in the domestic market have validated the feasibility of implementing the “iDSO” business model in China. Therefore, we hope to share the accumulated experience with colleagues across the dental community, positioning “iDSO” as the emerging favorite driving the development of China’s dental industry.