--- title: "Part 3 Built by a Provider, for Providers: Dr. Stillwell’s Vision Behind UDC" description: The founders story --- [Skip to content](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/blog/part-3-built-by-a-provider-for-providers-dr.-stillwells-vision-behind-udc#main-content) ![UDC Final Horz BW-1](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/hs-fs/hubfs/UDC%20Final%20Horz%20BW-1.png?width=200&height=66&name=UDC%20Final%20Horz%20BW-1.png)Homepage - [Direct Dental Care](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/about) - [The Playbook](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/playbook) [Join the Co-op](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/#Contact) - [Direct Dental Care](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/about) - [The Playbook](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/playbook) [Join the Co-op](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/#Contact) # Part 3 Built by a Provider, for Providers: Dr. Stillwell’s Vision Behind UDC ![Tamara v. Stillwell](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/1982bd8a3b02f37b055267be2b3ab6b6) Tamara v. Stillwell July 11, 2025 Dr. Stillwell didn’t set out to create a movement—he simply saw what was coming. As government oversight tightened and insurance companies grew more powerful, he knew independent dentistry was at risk. The traditional model was unraveling—reimbursements shrinking, admin demands growing, and provider autonomy slipping away. That’s when he asked: *What if there were a better way to practice—and we built it ourselves?* The answer became United Dental Coop (UDC). **Rooted in Reality, Proven in Practice** UDC isn’t just a theory—it’s the model Dr. Stillwell and his team use in their own thriving practice. It was designed by providers, tested by providers, and now offered to providers who want to regain control and simplify their business. **From Chaos to Clarity: The Power of Membership** Dr. Stillwell recognized that membership-based care could free dentists from chasing insurance reimbursements and unpredictable revenue cycles. That’s why UDC does the heavy lifting—building and managing the entire membership system: contracts, billing, onboarding, even patient collections if needed. Providers receive **90% of their chosen monthly membership fee upfront**, while UDC retains 10% to operate the system. This ensures predictable income *before a single appointment is booked*. And since UDC never touches your treatment revenue, your clinical decisions remain entirely yours. **Empowering Dentists and Transforming Practices** UDC isn’t here to run your practice—we’re here to power it. Your team is responsible only for promoting the membership and tracking balances for discount application. Everything else is handled. It’s that simple. And it works. **Lead by Listening, Grow by Partnering** For Dr. Stillwell, the core philosophy is partnership, not control. UDC was built to serve providers—not shareholders. And every enhancement to the system begins with listening to the needs of those who use it. **The Future Is Now** What began as one provider’s solution to growing system pressure has become a replicable model that’s already reshaping how dental care is delivered—and how practices can thrive. **This is what it looks like to empower dentists and transform practices.** Ready to step into the model that actually works? ## Share this post [mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uniteddentalcoop.com%2Fblog%2Fpart-3-built-by-a-provider-for-providers-dr.-stillwells-vision-behind-udc](mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uniteddentalcoop.com%2Fblog%2Fpart-3-built-by-a-provider-for-providers-dr.-stillwells-vision-behind-udc) ## Keep reading ### [Part 5 Getting Started with UDC We’ve Built the System So You Don’t Have To](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/blog/part-5-getting-started-with-udc-weve-built-the-system-so-you-dont-have-to) ### [Part 4 Why Patients Love the UDC Membership Model—And Keep Coming Back](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/blog/part-4-why-patients-love-the-udc-membership-model-and-keep-coming-back) [![UDC Final Horz BW-1](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/hs-fs/hubfs/UDC%20Final%20Horz%20BW-1.png?width=150&height=49&name=UDC%20Final%20Horz%20BW-1.png "UDC Final Horz BW-1")](https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/) ***Powering Dental Direct Care*** 899 Congress Pkwy N Athens, TN 37303 423.240.2898 ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Tamara v. Stillwell", "url" : "https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/blog/author/tamara-v-stillwell" }, "dateModified" : "2025-07-11T16:30:00.871Z", "datePublished" : "2025-07-11T16:30:00.000Z", "headline" : "Part 3 Built by a Provider, for Providers: Dr. Stillwell’s Vision Behind UDC", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/blog/part-3-built-by-a-provider-for-providers-dr.-stillwells-vision-behind-udc", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.uniteddentalcoop.com/hubfs/UDC%20Final%20BW.png" } } } ```