Trevor Maurer on Why Oral Surgery Is Consolidating Faster Than General Dentistry Did

What does it take to scale an oral surgery platform without losing sight of the patient, the referral relationship, or the people delivering care? In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker speaks with Trevor Maurer, CEO of OMS 360, about the systems, data, and partnership model shaping one of dentistry’s fastest-consolidating specialties. Trevor shares lessons from more than 30 years in multi-site healthcare, including his experience growing SmileSource from 32 practices to more than 750 independently owned locations. He explains why decentralized decision-making, aligned incentives, and support for clinicians at the point of care have remained central to his leadership approach. The conversation explores the distinct dynamics of oral surgery—from its referral-driven model to the increasing role of same-day treatment, scheduling discipline, and patient access. Trevor also breaks down the OMS 360 operating system, including standard work, time-and-motion studies, team training, and the data that helps practices reduce leakage across the patient journey. Mike and Trevor discuss how OMS 360 approaches surgeon partnerships, parent-company equity, and practice turnarounds. Trevor shares why the right partner must be growth-oriented, how systems can help doctors increase productivity without working more, and what surgeons should consider before affiliating with a larger platform. Episode chapters 00:00 From Canada to multi-site healthcare leadership 07:55 Navigating the referral-driven oral surgery model 11:08 Why the opportunity is often inside the existing patient funnel 15:26 The OMS 360 operating system and standard work 20:49 The operational gaps practices do not see 22:13 What time-and-motion studies reveal about patient and surgeon time 26:23 Finding partnership candidates who want to grow 29:42 Recovering after a practice loses 32% of its referral volume 36:38 The case for parent-company equity over local JVs 42:58 What surgeons should consider before joining a platform Connect with the team: 👉 Mike Huffaker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huffaker/ 👉 Planet DDS: https://planetdds.com/ 👉 Trevor Maurer: [email protected] You can also listen to our podcast here: 👉 Apple Podcast: https://shorturl.at/ikORx 👉 Spotify: https://shorturl.at/SMInC Want to be a guest on The Dental Economist Show? If you’re a growth-focused leader in the dental business world or someone shaping its future through technology, consulting, or innovation, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re leading a DSO, building the next generation of dental technology, or helping redefine patient care, The Dental Economist Show is where the industry’s leading voices come together to discuss what’s next.