DSO Deal Roundup – March 2022

Our DSO Deal Roundup keeps you up to date on the latest DSO deal activity and includes an exclusive synopsis. Here is March’s list:

Thurston Group Announces Formation of the Premier DSO in the Southeast, SGA Dental Partners
Thurston Group, a private equity firm focused on investments in healthcare and related business services sectors, announced the formation of SGA Dental Partners, a DSO created by the joining together of Dental Partners of Southwest Georgia, Garner Dental Group and South Georgia Dental Management. Each of the three equal partners brings a combined 60 clinic locations in secondary markets in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. SGA Dental Partners is led by Jordan DiNola, CEO. The DSO, which serves smaller, often rural communities, plans to continue building its footprint in the Southeast in 2022.

Gen4 Dental Partners with DSO Group in West Michigan
Gen4 is headquartered in Tempe, AZ. Dr. Christopher Sortman is the cofounder of Strategic Blue, a group formed out of the Community Shores Dental hub. Strategic Blue is the parent company of 7 clinical practice locations across West Michigan: Strategic Blue Norton Shores, Muskegon, Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Grand Haven, Kalamazoo, and Portage, MI. Gen4 Dental Partners is led by CEO Lamonte Jensen and CCO Dr. Mitch Ellingson.

Imagen Welcomes New Partners:

• Walker Dental Group – Dr. Walker has been providing digital dentistry to residents of Macon, Georgia, for more than 25 years. Dr. Walker actively serves the United States National Guard and deployed with the Georgia Air National Guard in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
• Tangletown Dental – Dr. James Dau has practiced dentistry for 20 years, specifically to South Minneapolis residents, for more than 17 years.
• Harmony Dental – Dr. Xuan Thou leads the Bloomington community of Minnesota.
• Fay Dental Care – Since 1998, Fay Dental Care has been led by Dr. John M. Fay, II. Dedicated to his community, Dr. Fay has received awards for his “Fay Dental Cares” program, supporting the needs of the children in the Big Brother-Big Sister program in Brown County.

US Endo Partners Announces New Partnerships
The specialty DSO has just announced the latest addition to their partnership of endodontists: Orchard Endodontics (Dr. Jay Lang) in Shelby Township, MI and Eagles Pointe Endodontics (Dr. Paul Shepherd) in Stockbridge, GA. Based in Irving, TX, US Endo Partners considers themselves to be a specialty services partnership (SSP). The group is backed by investment partners. The Foundation for Endodontics, the philanthropic arm of the American Association of Endodontists, and U.S. Endo Partners, are launching the Foundation for Endodontics & U.S. Endo Partners Domestic Access to Care Program. The new program will aid endodontic specialists in providing free access to important endodontic care to underserved patients within the United States.

Our Best Life Companies Expands Outside of Home State of California
Featured on Group Dentistry Now‘s Emerging Groups to Watch in 2022, Our Best Life Companies has recently started construction on a new location – this one in Granger, Indiana. The DSO currently has 12 locations in California and plans to double its size in 2022. The dental group is transforming a former classic car dealership in the heart of Granger into the new home of Granger Dental and Orthodontics, which will serve as a flagship location. The design team used a multi-material design methodology to change the look of the former building. Granger Dental’s new location will have ten general dentistry treatment rooms and ten orthodontic suites.

Dental Depot Ramps Up Presence in SE Valley
The DSO’s newest location in Mesa marks the 29th location in their network and 4th in the PHX-Valley. It also represents the first new office in which doctor-partners have the opportunity to invest alongside the company in the real estate. With locations in AZ, MO, TX, and OK, Dental Depot is headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, and has been around for over four decades. The DSO was founded by Dr. Glenn Ashmore. All locations are de novo and modeled after train stations. This is one of six locations they will open this year.

MB2 Dental Celebrates
MB2 Dental recently celebrated two significant milestones: its 15th anniversary and the closing of its 400th affiliated practice. MB2 was founded in February 2007 by dentist Chris Steven Villanueva who continues to serve as CEO. MB2 was the first dental organization to create and use “dental partnership organization” or “DPO.” Originally named “Dental Professionals of Texas,” the founding partners decided to rename the company to MB2 Dental, as an ode to the notoriously difficult-to-find MB2 root canal.

USOSM Announces Second Partnership in California and Enters Washington Market
USOSM – a specialty management services company that exclusively serves premier oral and maxillofacial surgeons – recently announced its partnership with Parkside Oral Surgery & Implant Center, which is located in Alameda, California. It is USOSM’s second partner practice in the state. Led by Wendy Liao, DDS, the Parkside Oral Surgery & Implant Center is a boutique practice. USOSM has also announced a new partnership with Esmail Oral, Facial and Dental Implant Surgery, which is located in Bellingham, Washington. This partnership marks USOSM’s entrance into the Washington market. Esmail Oral, Facial and Dental Implant Surgery is led by Nadeem Esmail, DDS, MD. He is the only practicing, board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Whatcom County who has earned both his DDS and an MD. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, USOSM is led by Richard Hall and has partner practices spanning 19 states. They include Texas, Colorado, Georgia, Tennessee, Minnesota, Alabama, Oklahoma, Louisiana, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Arizona, California, Oregon, Virginia, Washington and Massachusetts.

Specialty1 Partners adds the Triangle Implant Center and its six locations based in the triangle region of North Carolina
Specialty1 Partners announced a partnership with Triangle Implant Center which features six locations (Cary, Durham, Goldsboro, Greensboro, Mebane, and Wilson) offers a full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures. In affiliating with Specialty1, they would like to accelerate practice growth. Dr. Daryl Dudum and Dr. Matthew Haddad are the Co-Founders and Co-Chief Executive Officers of Specialty1 Partners. In addition to announcing the partnership with Triangle Implant Center, Speciatly1 Partners expanded into 13 new states in 2021. In total, Specialty1 has formed new partnerships with over 140 specialty practices and added over 230 new specialists to the network.

Australian DSO, Pacific Smiles Dental Centre, Opens New Location
This new practice acquisition is located at Craigieburn Central Shopping Centre. It takes the number of dental centres operated by Pacific Smiles Group to 121. Owned and operated by Pacific Smiles Group, Pacific Smiles operates under the Pacific Smiles Dental and nib Dental Care Centre brands. There are over 100 centres located throughout New South Wales, Queensland, Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. The DSO is headquartered in Greenhills, NSW.

Clyde Munro Dental Group, Scotland’s Largest Dental Group, Grows
Clyde Munro said it has acquired Maybole Dental Practice, a four-surgery practice with more than 9,500 patients. Its owner, David Logan, joined the practice after graduating in 1993 from the University of Glasgow and worked as an associate for his father who bought the practice in 1973. Clyde Munro now has more than 50 practices across Scotland, employing some 200 dentists, 400 staff and taking care of 460,000 patients.

Southern Orthodontic Partners Expands
The DSO has recently partnered with Dr. Raj Gohill of Gohill Orthodontics. Gohill Ortho has two practice locations – one in Aventura and the other in Miami Beach, FL. This acquisition is the third partner practice for SOP in the state of Florida. SOP is led by John Nelson.

Oxford Finance Leads $660 Million Upsize Financing for Specialty Dental Brands
Oxford Finance LLC announced the closing of a $660 million senior credit facility to Specialty Dental Brands (SDB), a niche DSO focused on pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, and oral surgery. Oxford acted as the sole bookrunner and administrative agent on the transaction. Proceeds will be used to refinance the SDB’s existing debt and finance add-on acquisitions. Oxford initially provided SDB with a $74 million senior credit facility in September 2020. SDB also recently opened a new HQ in Nashville, in addition the group added five new doctor groups.

Tend Opens Second Atlanta Location
Tend, a growing dental group headquartered in NYC and founded in 2018, has officially opened a second location in Atlanta. Tend has a total of 21 locations in Washington DC, NYC, Boston, and Atlanta. All of their locations are de novo. Their clinical advisory board includes Dr. Jonathan Levine, Dr. David Ahearn, and Dr. Joseph Errante. Dr. Marc Schlenoff is their head of clinical development.