Dental service organizations
Management services agreement
The contract between a practice and a management company that lists the business services provided, the fees and the length of the relationship.
A management services agreement, or MSA, is the contract that sets out what a management company will do for a practice and what it will charge. The ADA calls the same document a business services agreement and has written a guide for dentists who review one with their attorneys.
The ADA notes that many kinds of these agreements exist along a spectrum, and that entering into one calls for careful consideration of the terms. Common parts include scope of services, fees, term, ending rights and who controls clinical decisions.
The other side is often a management services organization or a DSO. Because terms and state rules differ, an attorney should read the whole contract. This entry explains the term only.