Episode 34: Practice Acquisition Vs. Start-Up Episode 12 with Dr. Ben Liu

Dr. Ben Liu shares one of the most dynamic ownership journeys featured in this series—relocating to a new state, rapidly expanding across multiple locations, acquiring underperforming practices, and launching startups inside existing orthodontic spaces. His path includes buying distressed practices, relocating them, scaling from 2 ops to 5+, and using systems to turn stagnant offices into high‑growth pediatric dental practices.

Dr. Liu also discusses the unique challenges of specialty ownership, the importance of trust when evaluating acquisition opportunities, and how market selection and landlord relationships shape long‑term expansion strategy.

Topics include:

● Starting with two practices overnight—one leased startup, one small acquisition

● Relocating an outdated two‑op practice and growing it into a high‑volume office

● Acquiring distressed practices and scaling patient bases

● Expanding to 4–5 locations through strategic opportunity, not randomness

● How startups differ when launched inside an existing ortho space

● Financial, operational, and staffing challenges of multi‑location growth

● Acquisition vs. startup strategy for pediatric specialists