In the heart of Washington’s Columbia Basin lies the small farming town of Othello—a place where families know their neighbors, where agriculture is the lifeblood of the community, and where, remarkably, only one private dental practice remains.That practice belongs to Dr. Chris Dorow, second-generation dentist, father, and current President of the Washington State Dental Association (WSDA).
What’s unfolding in Othello, Dorow warns, is a microcosm of what’s happening across America: small-town dental care is becoming an endangered service. And he’s made it his mission to sound the alarm—and lead the reform.
A Vanishing Model of Care
“When I came back to Othello thirty years ago,” Dorow recalls, “we had three private dental clinics in town, plus an FQHC, and four more practices within 15 miles.” Today, despite the town’s population growing from 4,500 to nearly 10,000, Dorow’s is the only remaining private practice in a 25-mile radius.
The culprit? A perfect storm of workforce shortages, low reimbursement rates, and rising costs that have made private practice in rural areas financially unsustainable.
“This isn’t unique to Othello,” Dorow says. “It’s a canary in the coal mine.”
For rural America, the decline in independent dental practices isn’t just about business—it’s about access. Patients are traveling farther for care, waiting months for hygiene appointments, or going without altogether. “It took me over three years to find a hygienist,” Dorow shares. “I didn’t even get a single résumé for the first year.”
A Broken System in Need of Reinvention
From his vantage point as WSDA president, Dorow has seen these cracks widen across the state and the nation.
He points to two central issues: a workforce pipeline that can’t keep up and a dental benefits system that hasn’t evolved in decades.
“We’re 65% below what’s needed to provide the minimum level of preventive dental care in Washington,” he says. “It’s not a workforce shortage—it’s a workforce crisis.”
One promising solution is emerging from other states like Arizona: the creation of a new provider level called the Oral Preventive Assistant (OPA).
“These assistants can be trained safely and efficiently to handle preventive care,” Dorow explains. “It’s not about lowering standards; it’s about expanding capacity under the supervision of dentists.”
But workforce innovation alone won’t fix the financial realities. Dorow sees dental benefits reform as equally critical.“Ten years ago, if you’d asked me what I made as a dentist, I couldn’t tell you,” he says. “I just worked hard, cared for patients, and it all worked out. That’s no longer true. Now, I have to hit daily production goals just to keep the lights on—and that’s not good for healthcare.”
The Legislative Staircase
Rather than waiting for the system to right itself, Dorow has gone to work in Olympia. The WSDA’s recent Senate Bill on dental benefits reform passed unanimously—an extraordinary bipartisan feat.
“It’s not the final destination,” Dorow says. “It’s the first step up a staircase. Legislative change takes time. You have to build momentum one win at a time.”
The bill’s goal? To make independent practice viable again—restoring fairness and sustainability for dentists and freedom of choice for patients.
“Patients deserve real insurance that works when they need it,” Dorow explains. “If you pay into a plan, you should be able to choose your provider. What we have now is a prepayment plan disguised as insurance—and it’s broken.”
He’s not alone in this fight. “When Arizona passed their OPA legislation, I was on the phone with their president the next day,” Dorow says. “And when we passed our bill, other states called us. We’re learning from each other. Change is contagious.”
The Human Toll of Dentistry’s Shifting Landscape
As passionate as Dorow is about reform, he’s just as vocal about the emotional strain the profession is facing.
“Dentistry has become a pressure cooker,” he says. “Younger dentists are starting out with high debt, shrinking margins, and no paycheck for the first few years. That’s not sustainable.”
He’s witnessed colleagues burning out—not because they lack skill or care, but because the system itself feels stacked against them.
“If profits trump healthcare, everyone loses,” Dorow warns. “Dentistry must always be about patients first, not production.”
And yet, he’s optimistic.
“We can fix this,” he insists. “But we can’t do it alone. We have to return to being colleagues, not competitors.”
Rediscovering the Heart of the Profession
At the core of Dorow’s message is a simple principle that he wants every young dentist to remember:
“Never stop being a good healthcare provider. No matter what happens, that’s your North Star.”
He points to his own two children—both on their way to dental school—as proof that passion for the profession can still thrive.
“They saw me loving what I do,” he says. “Serving people, helping the community. That’s what drew them in. My job now is to make sure this profession gives them the same opportunity.”
Dorow’s leadership is deeply human. He doesn’t speak like a politician or an academic. He speaks like a dentist who still spends his days in the operatory, working shoulder-to-shoulder with his team, balancing the weight of leadership with the joy of service.
He also reminds colleagues that advocacy isn’t optional—it’s personal.
“Our legislators are often our patients,” he says. “Reach out. Tell your story. It matters. That’s how change happens.”
Community as the Cure
For Dorow, connection isn’t just a professional strategy—it’s survival.
“The best thing about serving on the WSDA board,” he says, “is that it recharges my dental soul. We walk out of meetings saying, ‘When do we get together again?’ That’s what keeps me going.”
It’s a reminder that the antidote to burnout isn’t isolation—it’s community.
During the pandemic, he and Dr. Grillo reconnected with old colleagues to share struggles and stay grounded. “Those conversations kept me sane,” Dorow admits. “We need more of that in dentistry—more real talk, less social media comparison.”
He’s candid about the dangers of online illusion.
“Social media has created a fake version of success,” Dorow says. “You see posts about dentists working two weeks a month and taking endless vacations. It’s not real. Real success is measured in the hugs, the smiles, and the patients who keep coming back.”
A Call to Action
As the conversation draws to a close, Dorow offers a challenge:
“If you’re not a member of your dental association, join. We’re working to remove barriers and make membership affordable—because this is where real progress happens.”
His final words are simple but powerful:
“We will never solve these problems alone. We need each other. Let’s make our associations strong again—and make them feared for the right reasons.”
In an era where private practice feels increasingly fragile, Dorow’s message is a rallying cry for unity, authenticity, and courage.
He’s proof that leadership doesn’t always come from the biggest city or the flashiest practice—it can rise from a small town where one dentist refuses to give up.
Listen to a fascinating interview with Dr. Dorow HERE
