By: The New Dentist
After 10 years of serving a variety of clients, accountant Allen Schiff made a decision: he wanted to work exclusively with dentists.
Schiff, who is TheNew.Dentist’s 2021 Best Dental Accountant, had 40 dental clients at the time. He fell in love with the passion they had for what they do and the team approach they took to running their dental practices. To grow his client base, he started to look for new ways to market his firm, Maryland-based Schiff & Associates. That led him to purchase a booth at a Maryland State Dental Association tradeshow, where he said he got his big break.
During that tradeshow, he met a professor from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry who invited him to speak at the school. Thirty-five years later he’s still teaching there as well as eight other universities, educating students about the business side of running a practice.
Schiff, who is the president of the Academy of Dental CPAs (ADCPA), enjoys guiding dentists as they look to buy new practices or invest in expensive equipment, and said his goal is to help clients accumulate wealth. He now serves 265 dentists.
“From a client’s perspective, there might be financial tasks they think are simply impossible, but I know I can get them done,” he said. “For example, a client might come to me with $250,000 in student debt, a car payment and a mortgage wondering how I’m going to get them a loan for an acquisition or start-up practice. I know I can get them money despite all that, and when I get that first approval it’s an amazing feeling of accomplishment. I love helping clients achieve the impossible.”
Helping dentists obtain PPP loans at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic was one of those seemingly unsurmountable tasks. Schiff’s firm was instrumental in securing almost $30 million in PPP loans for clients, Schiff said, as well as other grants and loans that helped his dental practices survive.
From the beginning of the pandemic, Schiff has done his part to offer guidance and hope. He hosted Zoom calls daily through the ADA and other dental organizations to keep clinicians informed, and routinely sent email responses and updates in the late evening and early morning hours.
“As CPAs we had two choices: to put our head in the sand or walk stride for stride with our clients holding their hands to get through the pandemic,” Schiff said. “I chose the second route.”
He saw the pandemic as an opportunity to do something good for the dental community. He didn’t want dentists to feel hopeless, so he provided guidance to clients and nonclients alike. He gave them a place to turn for help at a time filled with confusion, uncertainty and fear.
Now, a year after the initial shutdowns, most practices have rebounded, a testament to the hardworking people in the dental industry.
“I thank God everyday I’m in dentistry. It’s a great profession,” Schiff said. “I’m lucky to have found the right industry to specialize in.”
Schiff’s clients appreciate all he does, especially his efforts during the pandemic.
Here are just a few of the nominations we received:
I am very excited to nominate the CPA firm Schiff & Associates. This has been the most difficult year in practice for most dentists. With the pandemic, office closures and the subsequent economic downturn, most practices did not know what to do.
I was so fortunate to have Allen Schiff of Schiff & Associates as my CPA. The entire team had intimate knowledge of all the options for small businesses. They held multiple virtual meetings on evenings and weekends to help me navigate the complex processes, covering PPP1 and PPP2 loans, EIDL loans/grants, state grants, HHS grants, ERTCs and more.
Not only did they help me as a client dentist, but they donated significant hours of their time to give national webinars to dentists at no cost. Allen Schiff has donated his time year after year to help prepare students at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry for the business side of dentistry and this year was no different. It is rare to find businesses that exceed all your expectations in quality of work, professionalism and customer service, but that is exactly what Schiff & Associates does.
-Eric Morse, DDS
In a world that was turned upside down by COVID, Schiff & Associates made clear why they are in a class by themselves. Not only did they take care of our normal accountancy needs but they also stepped up a gear to provide invaluable information to clients on what funding was available and how to apply. They took time to strategize on the impact of the pandemic and how to emerge from it as strong as possible. They made sure we were ahead of the curve with all the information we needed, so much so that as webinars came out from other institutions, I was able to say I already knew the information.
Allen Schiff’s generosity with the wider dental community was also evident from the countless webinars he offered for free to make sure others also had relevant information. In a year that brought many to their knees, Schiff & Associates took on the mantle of servant leaders and helped so many stand up again.
-Dr. Irvine Nugent
We recently switched to Allen Schiff and would like to nominate him for best dental accountant. He is extremely responsive (I often have a lot of questions) and has been so helpful in navigating all the constantly changing legislation that has come out this past year in regard to COVID. We are so happy to be working with him. He also spends a lot of time lobbying with the ADA for changes that positively affect dentists, which we appreciate very much.
-Dr. Katie Lee
I enthusiastically nominate Allen Schiff of Schiff & Associates in Baltimore for THE Best Dental Accounting Firm. Not only does the entire Schiff team go the extra mile to make sure their clients have all the necessary information for running a successful dental practice, but Allen personally attends dental continuing education courses AND he sends key points/notes to his clients.
Allen Schiff is a true supporter/champion of dentistry. He has authored numerous articles, speaks across the country, invests his time at several dental schools, and personally invests in enhancing his clients’ dental practices.
He is the president of the Academy of Dental CPAs, which represents over 10,000 dental practices across the country. He has invested countless hours and resources to supporting dentists throughout the COVID pandemic.
I’ve known Allen Schiff for 10+ years, and his reputation in dentistry is top-notch. He has personally helped me and my practice become debt-free with a healthy, successful business that runs like a well-oiled machine. You will not find another firm that cares more about their clients and the dental profession as a whole. Schiff & Associates is THE best dental accounting firm and deserves this award.
-Dr. Tanya Brown
Allen and his team at Schiff & Associates are second to none! They are professional, knowledgeable and really care about their clients. They practice accounting with heart.
We have been a very happy client for many years and thought Allen and his team couldn’t exceed their already amazing excellence, yet they far exceeded that with the care, compassion and constant connection and guidance they provided us at the beginning and throughout the pandemic.
Many times, we received Allen's emails to provide guidance or update us on the constant changes relating to the pandemic and all the PPP/Employer Tax Credit/Grant programs, etc. late at night or shall I say extremely early in the morning at 1, 2 a.m. and sometimes after a few hours at 5 or 6 a.m. We were way ahead of our fellow dentist friends with all the business, accounting and tax aspects of the pandemic and felt very confident getting back on our feet and on track because of this amazing accounting team.
All I can say is, to us, Allen and his team at Schiff & Associates deserve to be named The Best Dental Accounting Firm in the World!
-Trang Ton
Schiff & Associates LLC is a top-notch company. I have been a client for over 8 years. They helped me purchase my office. They were very helpful and thorough. Without Allen Schiff’s help I do not think I could have made the leap into owning my own practice at the age of 44. Throughout the years, they have walked me through all the steps of tax season. They have been instrumental in keeping me straight.
Allen and his team were the best during the COVID shutdown. Allen had many sleepless nights gathering information for his clients. He was the face for the ADA. He helped me and others keep our sanity. Allen never stopped working for his clients and all of the ADA during this time even though he was dealing with a heart-breaking family emergency. He was and is the rock for so many.
I would highly recommend Allen and his team to be named the Best Dental Accounting Firm. Without them I could not be the dentist I am today. They make me a better person so I can help my patients. In my eyes, Schiff & Associates is the best dental accounting firm!
-Theresa Kujala, DMD
Working with Allen for over 12 years has been a tremendous blessing to me, to my practice and to my family. Allen’s energy, passion and commitment to excellence are unsurpassed. After 27 years in dentistry, like the insurance commercial, I have "seen a thing or two" with many consultants and advisors. Without a doubt, Allen is my most trusted advisor. He is always accessible, prompt and exudes knowledge.
Allen is honest with a deep commitment to doing what is right, serving dentistry and his clients. There is no greater example of Allen’s tireless efforts for his clients than this past year. The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted dentistry. As the president of the Academy of Dental CPAs (ADCPA), he advised and collaborated directly with the ADA, hosting multiple national webinars to help us navigate this crisis.
In addition, Allen sent countless emails all hours of the day and night to keep us informed of the everchanging landscape, hosted Zoom call after Zoom call with his clients and was always willing to share his knowledge with everyone. The man exudes professionalism and as impressive as Allen is technically, he is even more impressive as a human being—thoughtful, caring, appreciative and full of passion for his family, his associates and his clients. I cannot imagine a more worthy candidate than Allen Schiff and I am blessed to have him in my life.
-Jack Kayton, DDS
Allen Schiff and his accounting team are simply the best! At Dynamic Dental Care, we are super busy managing two dental offices, so we needed an outstanding accounting firm that exemplified competence, character and commitment. Allen and his team embody these traits and more! With Allen leading us through the financial aspects of managing the offices, with his dedication to accuracy and excellence, we rest so much easier knowing our books and taxes are prepared competently and accurately.
We also know Allen and his team have our best interests at heart, sharing advice and sometimes tough feedback to help us improve operations and grow our businesses. And since the pandemic hit, we have counted on Allen, no matter the time of day or night, to respond to our queries and give us practical, actionable advice for navigating this unsettling time. We are so incredibly grateful to Allen and the entire Schiff team for their support, genuine kindness and overall excellence. With the many challenges of running a small business, I like to call them "peace of mind" with smiles and hugs (pre-pandemic of course). We could not have managed the last five years without Allen Schiff and his team.
-Amber Jangha
I’ve worked with Allen my entire career and my practice would not be where it is today without his guidance. Allen and his team have been an instrumental part of my practice growing from a small 3 operatory office to a beautiful new 6 operatory condo.
Allen also helped my family with accounting advice during a very difficult period with my Dad’s small business. Allen and his team are like family and I was proud to have Allen attend my wedding years ago. The customer service is second to none and they have been at the forefront of helping clients manage their practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. If I were a new dentist coming out of school today one of the first things I would do is find an ADCPA accountant and there is no one better than Allen and his exceptional team at Schiff & Associates.
-Dr. Wesley S. Creamer
I have been a client for at least 20 years and have been extremely satisfied with this firm’s fantastic services. I have had many opportunities to share the wisdom of this firm with my colleagues, and they have, quite often, been surprised their accountants have not advised them with the same information.
I truly believe any fees I have paid to this firm have been returned to me many times in tax savings and management decisions based on budgeting, salary advice and “running the office by the numbers.”
-Frederick W. Parker, DDS
We would like to nominate Schiff & Associations from Towson, Maryland, as the best dental CPA firm. Mr. Allen Schiff has been instrumental in improving our business performance. His leadership in dental accounting was even more remarkable during the pandemic. Allen spent countless hours working with the ADA and the government on behalf of our dental community. We appreciate his effort to educate and update us on various assistance programs.
-Hoang Nguyen
I would, with overwhelming excitement, like to nominate Schiff & Associates for Best Dental Accounting Firm. Allen Schiff is amazing! He is one of the most caring, genuine and smartest individuals I have ever met. His professionalism is unparalleled. I was connected with him when I purchased my practice in 2015 and our professional relationship is one that I highly value. In my book, Schiff & Associates is the BEST dental accounting firm, hands down!!
-Susanna M. Goggin, DMD
