Jennifer Ellis spent years managing the finances behind 800-plus bakery locations. Now she’s bringing that multi-unit playbook to a very different industry — one where staffing shortages and complex regulations make growth a far trickier recipe.
Ms. Ellis joined Irving, Texas-based U.S. Oral Surgery Management as its new CFO earlier this month, bringing with her more than 25 years of experience working in corporate finance with publicly traded and privately owned companies. She previously served as CFO of Nothing Bundt Cakes, where she helped the company achieve more than 20% compound annual growth and led its private sale transaction. She has also held financial leadership roles at Sally Beauty Holdings, Chico’s FAS, Tailored Brands and Michael’s Stores.
Ms. Ellis recently spoke with Becker’s to discuss the goals for her new role and the complexities of the oral surgery field.
Note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What attracted you to USOSM and the oral surgery space at this point in your career?
Jennifer Ellis: USOSM has a strong culture — one that’s built on trust and a deep, shared dedication to the highest standards of clinical excellence, particularly exceptional patient safety and care. It’s a company with integrity, amazing people and high growth potential, and I’m excited to be a part of that.
The oral surgery space is also still growing, both in terms of market demand and in terms of the number of practitioners. It’s an exciting time for the OMS specialty, and a crucial point in USOSM’s growth journey.
Q: How do you plan to use your previous experience at other companies to lead the financial operations at USOSM?
JE: I’ve had many years of experience working with private equity-backed companies like USOSM, and in managing multi-unit growth. Sustainable, strategic growth is key. As CFO, I am tasked with managing that growth.
In my most recent position as CFO for Nothing Bundt Cakes, I was responsible for the financial management of 800+ locations and system-wide sales of more than $1 billion. One of my key responsibilities was to develop and implement the financial strategy, company infrastructure and team to support a high-growth environment. I’ll have a similar role at USOSM.
In addition, we will be preparing for a recapitalization as markets become more receptive — something I have ample experience in.
Q: What lessons do you think healthcare organizations could learn from the consumer and franchise sectors?
JE: Many successful consumer and franchise companies — like retail and hospitality — are hyper-focused on the individual customer. They make sure every interaction from every touchpoint is positive and focused on that individual and their specific needs. I believe this is also essential for building better healthcare systems and organizations. There are many choices when it comes to healthcare, and we believe highly personalized, patient-centric care sets us apart. It’s a vital part of who we are and what we do.
Q: What goals do you have for your new role?
JE: USOSM has experienced tremendous growth over the years, now supporting more than 240 locations and more than 300 surgeons. My goal is to build on that strong foundation and make sure we have the right people, processes, systems and financial strategies in place to support the next phase of our growth.
As CFO, my responsibility goes beyond simply overseeing the financial health of USOSM. It’s about making sure our partner practices have the resources and support they need to thrive, while ensuring we continue to grow in a thoughtful and sustainable way. I want to help create the financial and operational foundation that allows USOSM and our partner practices to continue growing, investing in their teams and ultimately providing the best possible care to their patients.
Q: Is there anything you’ve learned about the oral surgery space so far that has surprised you?
JE: What has surprised me most is just how complex the business of oral surgery is. From the outside, it can be easy to view it simply as a clinical specialty, but there are so many operational, financial and regulatory considerations happening behind the scenes that ultimately impact a practice’s ability to serve patients and grow.
I’ve also been impressed by how entrepreneurial and business-minded many oral surgeons are. They are highly trained clinicians, but they are also running sophisticated businesses, leading teams and making important decisions about growth and investment. That combination creates a unique dynamic in this space.
Q: USOSM operates across 31 states. What are the biggest financial opportunities and challenges that come with scaling a specialty organization of this size?
JE: Our scale is an opportunity that allows us to more easily invest in IT infrastructure, including AI, our practice support center, as well as other areas that can drive growth, improve the patient experience, improve collections and improve payer relations as well as other functions that are harder to execute well at the practice level. The challenge that comes with scaling those opportunities is to make sure we are continuing to treat each practice individually in terms of what they want or need and not take a cookie cutter approach to our practices. It goes beyond clinical autonomy, one of our founding principles, as we truly want to create lasting partnerships with our surgeons.
Q: What do you see as the biggest financial pressures facing oral and maxillofacial surgery organizations right now?
JE: I think staffing shortages are one of the greatest areas of financial pressure right now. The staffing shortage is widespread and chronic, and it affects many industries, not just the OMS specialty. For oral and maxillofacial surgery organizations, however, the impact can be particularly significant because we rely on highly skilled clinical and administrative team members to keep practices operating efficiently. Organizations are facing increased labor costs as they compete for qualified employees, along with the additional costs associated with recruiting, onboarding and retaining staff.
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