Ethics Over Equity: Why “Who Pays the Most?” Is the Wrong Question

In this episode of Just Say No to the DSO, hosts Bob and Nate take on the ethics of selling a dental practice, sparked by a lengthy Dentaltown post from Howard Farran that frames the decision almost entirely around which buyer offers the highest financial return. They push back on the idea that money is the sole (or highest) standard, arguing that work should be a meaningful calling rather than just a means to an end, and that short-term profit-maximizing thinking erodes both personal satisfaction and the long-term health of the profession. Drawing on real client stories, a farmland analogy, and the example of a partnership built on mutual respect rather than extraction, they contend that sustainable wealth and a practice worth owning come from integrity, excellence, and doing the right thing for patients, team, and community—not from chasing the biggest (or most illusory) check.