Today we’d like to introduce you to Vladimir Semerey.
Hi Vladimir, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I came to the United States from Ukraine when I was 17 years old. Like many immigrants, my family did not have a lot financially, so I had to find a practical path forward. I originally wanted to become a medical doctor, but dentistry became the field that was closest to medicine and gave me an opportunity to start building something.
I went to community college, then got my master’s degree. Eventually, I began my career as a dental hygienist. I worked with a doctor who became my mentor and taught me a lot clinically. He was also one of the first people who told me I had the mindset to become a business owner. With my personality, I always wanted to be better, bigger, to make difference.
After several years practicing hygiene, I started becoming more interested in the business side of dentistry — billing, treatment planning, patient communication, operations, and building relationships with patients. I took courses, learned management, and slowly moved from the clinical side into the business side.
My first major business experience came when I helped a dental practice that was close to bankruptcy. The doctor was ready to sign the bankruptcy papers, but we decided to try one more time. We changed the structure, brought in the right people, added systems, trained the team, focused on marketing, and created clear roles inside the office. Within months, the practice reached six figures, and by the end of the year it reached seven figures.
That experience showed me the power of structure, leadership, and teamwork. Over time, I worked with many dental offices, and every office taught me something different. Eventually, that path led me to build a growing dental service organization. Now we operate four dental practices in Maryland, but soon we will have a lot more under our management.
Today, my focus is not only business growth. At some point, money stopped being the main driver. What motivates me now is building something meaningful, leading people, creating strong systems, helping doctors succeed, and changing patients’ lives through dentistry.
I am also building Smile for Service, a nonprofit focused on giving back to veterans and first responders through dental care. That mission is personal to me. Seeing the sacrifices of soldiers and veterans, both in Ukraine and here in the United States, made me want to use dentistry as a way to serve people who served others.
The long-term vision is to keep growing, build more clinics, expand the impact, and hopefully create something recognized nationwide.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was definitely not a smooth road. My journey started with a lot of uncertainty. Like I mentioned before, we were a family of immigrants with limited resources.
Even after getting a degree, it took me six months to find my first job as a male dental hygienist in a field that was mostly female-dominated. But I kept going. I worked, studied, learned, and slowly started to understand not only the clinical side of dentistry, but also the business side.
One of the hardest parts was deciding to take a risk. I had a stable career as a hygienist, but I knew I wanted to build something bigger. That meant learning billing, management, treatment presentation, hiring, marketing, and operations. It also meant making difficult financial decisions and stepping into situations where success was not guaranteed.
There were failures along the way. One of my first business partnerships did not work out, but it taught me important lessons that later became the foundation of my company.
But the biggest sacrifice was not only professional. It was personal. Building a business takes time away from your family. There are many long days, late nights, and moments when I am running on only a few hours of sleep. My wife Monica carries a lot during that time. She takes care of the kids, the house, and gives me the peace I need when I come home after difficult days. Without her support, I would not be where I am today.
That is the part people do not always see. Growth requires sacrifice not only from the person building the business, but also from the family standing behind that person. We always tried to find balance, but the truth is, it was challenging. There were moments I missed, moments I wish I had more time for, and pressure that my family had to carry with me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Dental Group of USA and non-profit Smile for Service?
Our organization is built around one clear idea: dentistry should be structured, patient-centered, and accessible.
Dental Group of USA is a growing dental service organization focused on helping dental practices operate better, serve patients better, and grow in a sustainable way. We specialize in building strong systems inside dental offices — from patient communication and treatment presentation to hiring, team training, marketing, billing, and day-to-day operations.
What we are known for is structure. Many dental offices struggle not because the doctors are not talented, but because the business side is not organized. A doctor cannot be the clinician, the office manager, the hygienist, the marketer, the biller, and the problem-solver all at once. Our approach is to put the right people in the right roles, train them properly, and create systems that allow the practice to function as a real team.
What sets us apart is that we do not look at dentistry as “sales.” We see it as education and trust. Patients deserve to understand what is happening with their oral health in simple language. They need to see the problem, understand their options, and feel respected before making a decision. That is why we focus so much on communication, visual evidence, photos, X-rays, and honest dialogue between the provider and the patient.
We also care deeply about the culture inside the office. The front desk is not “just front desk” — they are the frontline of the business. They create the first impression, answer the first call, and often set the emotional tone for the entire patient experience. We look for people who are passionate about dentistry, not just people looking for a job.
Brand-wise, I am most proud that we are building something bigger than just dental offices. We are building a structure that can change lives — for patients, for doctors, for staff, and for the community. Seeing patients regain confidence through their smile is one of the most meaningful parts of this work.
I am also proud of our nonprofit mission, Smile for Service, which is focused on giving back to veterans and first responders. Many veterans struggle with access to dental care, and we want to be part of the solution. We are starting locally, but the long-term vision is to grow the mission nationwide and involve more doctors who want to give back.
Our brand is about more than dentistry. It is about better systems, better teams, better communication, and better care. We are still growing, still learning, and still building — but the goal is clear: to create a dental organization that people can trust, that teams are proud to work for, and that communities can count on.
How do you think about luck?
Luck has definitely played a role in my life and business, but maybe not in the way people usually think about it. I do not believe success comes from luck alone. I believe luck gives you moments, but what you do with those moments depends on your decisions.
I was lucky to have caring parents that gave me a chance and brought me to this great country. And I used that luck to build myself.
I was lucky to meet the right mentors, doctors, patients, and team members along the way. I trusted them and it made my path easier.
I also had moments of bad luck. I had business situations and partnerships that did not work out the way I hoped. But those experiences taught me lessons that later became the base of my company.
So I would say luck has played a role, but persistence played a bigger role. I was lucky enough to get opportunities, but I had to be ready for them. And even the bad luck helped shape me, because it forced me to become stronger, smarter, and more disciplined as a businessman and as a leader.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dentalgroupofusa.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dentalgroupofusa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dentalgroupusa
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dental-group-of-usa/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DentalGroupofUSA
- Other: Info@dentalgroupofusa.com
