Like many other doctors who join the Aspen Dental network, Dr. Justin Griffee first heard about life at Aspen Dental through word-of-mouth. The source? His Tufts University School of Dental Medicine classmate (and fiancée) Dr. Cristina Dominguez, who joined Aspen Dental the year prior to his graduation and quickly became a strong advocate of the dental service organization practice model.

His own research showed that joining Aspen Dental would give him a clear path to ownership, something Dr. Griffee never imagined would be within reach so early in his career.

“If I had followed the traditional private practice route, it would have taken 15 years and a $500,000 investment to be able to afford my own practice,” said Dr. Griffee.

I wanted to own a practice where the focus was on my patients, not on running the business.

He continued, “I wanted to own a practice where the focus was on my patients, not on running the business. At Aspen Dental, I have the best of both worlds – I’m able to focus on practicing dentistry and running my business with the support of a team of experts at the Practice Support Center.”

Watching some of his dental school peers struggle with balancing patient care and business responsibilities has only served to reaffirm his decision. Dr. Griffee credits the robust professional development program for doctors at Aspen Dental as a significant driver of his success.

“Dental school gave me the clinical skills I needed, but being a successful practice owner required business school skills,” Dr. Griffee noted. “Aspen Dental’s professional development program picks up where dental school left off, giving me access to tools and resources that help me grow professionally.”

Along with his wife and business partner Dr. Dominguez, Dr. Griffee owns three thriving Aspen Dental offices in Maine.