Why Dentistry Feels Doomed Online and What the Data Actually Says
Reddit says don't do it. The numbers say something more complicated: the problems are real, the conclusion isn't.
Industry
DSOs, private equity, the companies that shaped modern dentistry, and the laws that are changing it.
12 pieces / super coarse grit
Corporate dentistry is the biggest change in the profession in a generation. These pieces explain what a DSO is, how private equity buys and builds dental groups, and the stories of the companies that got big first.
Start here
- What is a DSO in dentistry?DSO means dental support organization: a company that runs the business side of dental offices. How DSOs work, who owns them, and what to check in a DSO contract.
- How Private Equity Actually Buys a Dental Practice, Step by StepA plain-English look at how private equity buys dental practices: friendly PCs, roll-ups, EBITDA multiple arbitrage, deal structure and the criticism.
- The Rise of Aspen Dental: How a Single Idea Grew Into a 1,000 Office GiantWho owns Aspen Dental? Private equity: Ares, then Leonard Green, then an American Securities-led deal. How a budget dental model grew to 1,000+ offices.
- The $15 yard sign that built a dental empire: how Rick Workman made Heartland DentalForbes puts Heartland Dental founder Rick Workman's net worth at $1.6 billion. How a $15 yard sign became the largest DSO in America, and why it's argued over.
From a $500 Corner Drugstore to the World's Largest Dental Distributor: The Henry Schein Story
A pharmacist in Queens, a mail order catalog, and nine decades of compounding growth that ended up stocking most of America's operatories.
How Private Equity Actually Buys a Dental Practice, Step by Step
Friendly PCs, management fees, EBITDA multiples and the "second bite of the apple" The DSO roll-up in plain English.
The Hygienist Shortage Is Getting Worse and the Data Explains Why
Only 60% of dentists say they have enough hygienists. The ADA's economists say this isn't a blip, it's a math problem.
The Rise of Aspen Dental: How a Single Idea Grew Into a 1,000 Office Giant
Build from scratch offices, wave after wave of private equity capital, and a value priced niche few others wanted
Dentistry just walked into Walmart
One DSO is expanding to 15 locations inside Walmart stores. It is not the first to try this. It might be the one that makes it work.
What is a DSO in dentistry?
The term is everywhere in dental school and early career conversations. Here's exactly what it means, how DSOs work, and why the model has reshaped American dentistry.
The $15 yard sign that built a dental empire: how Rick Workman made Heartland Dental
A farm kid from a town of 247 turned a single Illinois practice into the largest dental support organization in America, a network of nearly 1,900 offices, and a personal fortune Forbes pegs at $1.6 billion. Here's how he did it and why the model he pioneered is the most argued over force in dentistry.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Changed Dentistry. Here’s What Nobody Is Explaining Clearly.
The bill that cut your loans, shrank your repayment options, and told rural America to figure it out.
What Caused the DSO Boom? The Answer Is Hiding in the Debt Data.
The reason why many young dentists choose a DSO isn't laziness. It's this.
California Just Fired a Warning Shot at Corporate Dentistry
California’s new Senate Bill 351 directly targets private equity influence in dental and medical practices and New York may be moving in a similar direction.
Private Practice Isn’t Dead. It Just Has to Evolve
The future of independent dentistry may not look like the traditional solo office anymore. It may look more like founder-led regional groups with centralized systems, operational discipline, and corporate-level infrastructure.