Building a Scalable, People-First DSO: The Oakwood Dental Story with COO Frank Semo

Oakwood Dental is emerging as a growing force in the DSO space, led in part by Chief Operating Officer Frank Semo, whose journey from teenage dental assistant to national leader in dental services has uniquely positioned him to drive operational excellence and strategic growth.

A Lifelong Journey in Dentistry

Semo’s career in dentistry began at just 16 years old, working as a dental assistant for a pediatric dentist. From there, he gained hands-on experience across specialties—general dentistry, orthodontics, periodontics, and oral surgery—before briefly considering finance after the passing of his father. Ultimately, he returned to dentistry, where his interest expanded beyond the clinical side to the business of dental operations.

That curiosity led him to Henry Schein, where he spent 11 years, rising to Director of Practice Services nationally. During his tenure, Semo worked with hundreds of practices across the country, gaining exposure to every type of business model—solo offices, group practices, de novos, and acquisitions. His role also touched M&A strategy, partnerships, and practice consulting, providing the deep knowledge base he now applies to Oakwood’s growth.

When global restructuring at Schein led to his departure, Semo reconnected with Oakwood Dental, a group he had long advised. Instead of pursuing another corporate role, he accepted the opportunity to join as COO in late 2023.

“I always said to myself, I can run with them. I can do this,” Semo reflected. “It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

Oakwood Dental Today

Founded in 2006 by three partners, Oakwood Dental has grown to nine locations—four in Staten Island, New York, and five in central New Jersey, including a pediatric wing, Acorn Pediatrics. Historically a de novo-focused organization, the group recently completed its first acquisition, marking a shift in strategy.

“We reached a crossroads,” said Semo. “Either sell or grow. Bringing me on meant doubling down on growth.”

Expansion will continue primarily in New Jersey, with select opportunities considered in Staten Island. Oakwood’s model emphasizes retaining staff and embedding them into its culture, a priority in today’s challenging staffing environment.

Building for Scale

Semo’s first move as COO was to take a high-level view of operations. He quickly identified a lack of consistency across locations and set out to standardize systems while preserving each office’s individuality.

Key initiatives include:

• Staffing realignment – ensuring employees are in the right roles, while making necessary cultural shifts.

• Hiring surge – more than 25 new team members onboarded since his arrival.

• Technology upgrades – rebuilding the tech stack, adopting new practice management and phone systems, enhancing communication tools, updating payment platforms, and transitioning to a truly paperless environment.

• Revenue cycle improvements – implementing diagnostic AI to help reduce payer denials and streamline insurance claims.

• Back-office growth – expanding billing, outsourcing insurance verification, and strengthening HR and accounting.

“These are the foundational elements of scale,” said Semo. “You can’t grow sustainably without a solid house built underneath you.”

A People-First Culture

Beyond operations, Semo is deeply focused on culture. With a staff of 170, he sees his role as serving his team so they can serve patients.

“My job is to cater to our people. Their job, in turn, is to cater to our patients,” he explained. “If I do a stellar job managing my team, they’ll provide an exceptional patient experience.”

Change management—whether introducing new technologies, workflows, or even scheduling adjustments—has been a challenge, but one Semo approaches with transparency and a long-term vision.

“I want our staff to feel appreciated and know they’re not just a number. That’s what sets us apart as an employer, and ultimately as a DSO.”

Looking Ahead

As Oakwood Dental expands, Semo emphasizes design, technology, and patient experience as differentiators.

“From the second a patient walks in, I want them to know they’re in an Oakwood practice,” he said. “We’ll continue investing in state-of-the-art technology and efficient, beautiful practice design to provide the best experience possible.”

With its strong foundation, clear growth strategy, and people-first philosophy, Oakwood Dental under Frank Semo’s leadership is positioning itself as a rising name in the DSO space—one that intends to keep growing until “it doesn’t make sense anymore.”