Joseph Wright Clements — Dental Operations Executive

About

Built from the ground up.

I co-founded Legacy Dental and the Legacy Smiles brand in 2010 with a single practice in Brownsville, Texas. Over the next 16 years, I built the operation into a multi-location dental group generating approximately $4.5M in combined annual revenue across Brownsville, Harlingen, San Juan, and Edinburgh.

Everything from hiring and training to vendor contracts, insurance strategy, brand development, and daily operations — I owned it. I personally hired and onboarded 100+ employees, including 14 dentists, and led a strategic transition from in-network to out-of-network insurance that materially improved collections and margin.

I understand the DSO model from the inside — not just operationally, but strategically. I've been part of planning a multi-location consolidation for acquisition, and I know what it takes to build practices that scale and hold value.

Core Competencies

Multi-Site Operations

DSO Growth Strategy

Physician Recruiting

Brand Development

Revenue Optimization

Insurance Strategy

P&L Accountability

Team Building

Market Expansion

Patient Experience

Vendor Management

Workflow Design

Experience

A career built on ownership.

Co-Founder & Director of Operations 2010 – March 2026

Legacy Dental / Legacy Smiles · Rio Grande Valley, TX

Co-founded and operationally led a multi-location dental group from a single practice to approximately $4.5M in combined annual revenue across Brownsville, Harlingen, San Juan, and Edinburgh.
Personally recruited, interviewed, and hired 100+ employees including licensed dentists, office managers, dental assistants, and front-office staff — building the full workforce infrastructure from scratch.
Negotiated employment agreements and compensation structures for 14 dentists over the organization's growth, with 5 currently active.
Led a strategic transition from in-network to out-of-network insurance, significantly improving collections and margin across locations.
Built the Legacy Smiles brand into one of the most recognized dental brands in the Rio Grande Valley, including an original mascot identity that became the cornerstone of patient-facing marketing.
Grew the Brownsville location to 13,000+ social media followers and 2,500+ verified Google reviews.
Collaborated with business partners on a multi-location DSO consolidation and acquisition packaging strategy.

Senior Manager, Research & Editorial Operations 2006 – 2010

MPF Research · Dallas, TX

Directed a cross-functional team of 13 professionals including writers, editorial staff, and market research analysts.
Contributed to executive-level forecasting presentations and collaborated with senior leadership on strategy.
Managed departmental budget and coordinated field research operations.

Senior Writer / Staff Writer 1998 – 2006

MPF Research · Dallas, TX

Authored quarterly publications covering high-priority real estate markets for a leading research firm.
Supported COO and senior leadership in preparing for industry conferences and executive presentations.

Education

B.A. History · Minor in Behavioral Psychology

Georgia State University, 1998

Built from the ground up.

A career built on ownership.

Let's connect.