Dr. Dominguez admits that she had preconceived notions about dental group practice. So how did she end up owning several Aspen Dental offices in Portland, Maine? As her graduation from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine neared, Dr. Dominguez interviewed with several Boston-area practices, but hesitated to make the multi-year commitment that many practices sought without the assurance of ownership.

“The interview process was both eye-opening and frustrating,” said Dr. Dominguez. “I wanted a clear path where ownership was a reality.”

I wanted a clear
path where ownership
was a reality.

Facing daunting dental school loans, Dr. Dominguez took a fresh look at Aspen Dental, and the more she learned, the more she liked. So she decided to take a leap, joining Aspen Dental in June 2006 as a part-time dental associate in two offices in Massachusetts.

Not long afterward, she and her then-fiancé Dr. Justin Griffee were looking for an opportunity to establish themselves as practice owners. They learned about two opportunities with Aspen Dental in Maine, took a road trip to scout the locations, and the rest is history -- the two became practice owners in Maine in 2008.

Dr. Dominguez cites her modern, welcoming spaces in high-traffic retail locations in underserved markets as the reason that her offices have thrived, even as a number of private dentists have struggled.

A native of Florida, Dr. Dominguez admits, “I certainly never envisioned myself living in Maine. After spending all of those cold winters in Boston, I wasn’t even sure that I wanted to stay in New England. But the opportunity to define my own career path through the Aspen Dental practice ownership model was too good to ignore.”