The landscape of modern medicine is both competitive and is gradually advancing at the same time. The scenario is such that it needs a rare breed of leaders who possess an ability going beyond just managing, deep into the heart of the revolution to truly transform the industry.
At the forefront is Kevin Lawton, leading this elite group as a veteran executive of clinician-led businesses. With an acumen to leverage his own strategic vision, combining it with his operational expertise, he rose to the position at the top of North America’s Top 10 CEOs Leading the Future of Healthcare.
An Inspiring Journey
Kevin Lawton has built his career on providing foundational business support and developing robust infrastructure across healthcare organizations. He began at Banfield Pet Hospitals, the world’s largest general veterinary practice, where he served as Regional Vice President and gained extensive experience in scaling multi-site healthcare businesses. He later advanced to Pacific Dental Services, where he oversaw operations across several states and was instrumental in growing more than 200 dental practices. Throughout his career, Kevin has held nearly every operational role, consistently demonstrating his ability to drive organizational growth and operational excellence.
From Finance to Healthcare
Kevin Lawton’s journey to the CEO position at Hero Practice Services was a fascinating progression from the world of financial investments. He initially built his skills in sales, which led to connections with clients in the healthcare industry. This network eventually convinced him to shift his focus from finance to healthcare, beginning with the veterinary field. After five years of helping veterinarians manage their hospitals, he transitioned to the dental world, a move that would ultimately lead him to Hero.
A Philosophy of Competitive Humility
Kevin Lawton’s leadership philosophy is a reflection of his personal evolution. Initially, his competitive drive, honed from playing high-level baseball, was the core of his approach—always striving to win. However, he quickly realized that true success comes from a different kind of strength: surrounding himself with experts. His philosophy is to lead by example with a competitive spirit, but also to be humble enough to rely on the expertise of others. This disciplined approach, which he sees as a key differentiator for individuals and businesses, has become the cornerstone of Hero’s culture and strategy.
The Heart of the Mission
The mission-driven focus of Hero Practice Services, which centers on caring for underserved communities, was inspired by one of the organization’s founders, a pediatric dentist. He recognized the immense need for healthcare services in the dental and vision fields for children in these communities. Kevin Lawton keeps this mission at the forefront by sharing the stories of the families and children they serve. He highlights the tangible difference they make, not only in the health of the children but also in their progress in school and the well-being of the communities themselves. By continuously sharing these powerful stories, the company remains true to its purpose.
Beyond the Bottom Line
For Kevin Lawton, success at Hero Practice Services is not measured by numbers alone, but by the tangible difference made in people’s lives. He shares powerful daily stories of children whose learning and well-being were profoundly impacted by the care they received. He cites examples of kids who can finally see what their teacher is presenting, or whose confidence is restored through proper oral care. This human-centric metric is the company’s true north. As he often tells his team, when they prioritize delivering excellent care, the financial health and key performance indicators (KPIs) of the business naturally follow.
A Standard of Unwavering Care
In a pediatric care sector that is both competitive and critically important, Kevin Lawton explains that Hero’s primary differentiator is its dedicated team. Every team member, from providers to practice staff, is committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of the children and families they serve. He insists that their patients receive the exact same high level of care one would expect in any healthcare setting, regardless of their socioeconomic background. He also highlights the strategic placement of their practices in locations that are convenient for families, recognizing and addressing common barriers like transportation and childcare. This commitment to accessibility and equitable care is what sets Hero apart.
Fostering a Culture of Innovation and Empathy
Kevin Lawton believes a healthy business is necessary to stay at the forefront of technology and innovation. Hero is always exploring new tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to enhance patient care and improve the experience for team members. These innovations are not meant to replace human connection but to support providers in delivering a higher level of service. To ensure a sense of empathy and shared purpose across multiple locations, Kevin Lawton makes a point of building personal connections with his leadership team and visiting practices to engage directly with the staff and providers who deliver care every day. By consistently sharing the heartwarming success stories received from grateful families, he ensures that Hero’s mission remains at the heart of every action, fostering a culture of performance rooted in compassion.
Navigating Through Setbacks
Kevin Lawton believes that a leader’s greatest growth often stems from overcoming significant challenges. For Hero Practice Services, a major setback arose from a change in the Medicaid environment that significantly impacted patient enrollment and coverage. This external shift challenged the business by affecting the number of patients coming into the practices. Rather than being defeated, Kevin Lawton approached the problem with diligence and a focus on understanding the core issues. He educated himself and his team, conducted extensive research, and built connections with government officials to help them understand the immense need for healthcare in the communities Hero serves. This proactive, educational approach allowed the company to remain a healthy and effective business while continuing to serve a population in critical need of help.
The Ever-Evolving Leader
When asked what keeps him grounded and allows him to continue growing, Kevin Lawton highlights his mindset as a constant “student of the industry.” He emphasizes the importance of humility, recognizing that he doesn’t have to be the sole expert with all the answers. Instead, he intentionally surrounds himself with people who are subject matter experts in various fields. By reaching out to peer groups and listening to different perspectives, he continuously challenges his own knowledge and learns from others who may have more experience or a different viewpoint. This unyielding desire to learn and his willingness to seek out knowledge from others are what keep him grounded and fuel his ongoing professional and personal growth.
A Leader’s Core Values
When asked to describe his leadership style in three words, Kevin Lawton chose competitive, disciplined, and humble. He explained that being competitive fuels his drive for success, while discipline is crucial for staying focused and executing a plan. The most challenging, yet most important, trait for him is humility—the constant awareness that he doesn’t have all the answers and needs to rely on his team.
Advice for Aspiring Leaders
For those entering the healthcare industry, Kevin Lawton most profound advice is to learn the business from the clinician’s perspective. While understanding key performance indicators (KPIs), financial reports, and operational data is essential, a non-clinician leader must go deeper. He stresses the importance of truly understanding a clinician’s world—their daily challenges and their way of thinking. Without this empathy and knowledge, a leader will struggle to build trust and have meaningful conversations with the people who are at the front lines delivering care. This core understanding, he believes, is the key to making a lasting impact in the healthcare sector.
Illuminating Healthcare’s Tomorrow
Attaining a depth of experience in clinician-driven settings, Kevin Lawton’s distinct and irreplaceable understanding enables him to appreciate the requirements of practitioners. At the same time, it inspires sustainable growth. Combined with his being a family man with son Luke and twin daughters Avery and Gabriella, Kevin Lawton’s path from Colorado to his present Phoenix region’s home is reflective of a down-to-earth and approachable leadership style. It is this unusual combination of profound professional insight and personal integrity that makes Kevin Lawton a visionary leader, ideally suited to define the future of healthcare.
