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Group Dentistry Now (GDN) has been committed to the success of DSOs, dental groups, and the people who work for them since 2014. DSO People is the only comprehensive list of new hires, promotions and awards.
Staying informed about leadership changes within DSOs is critical for success, whether you’re a vendor or part of a DSO team. Understanding the shifts at the executive and C-suite levels gives you the insights needed to navigate the evolving landscape and enhance your performance.
With DSO People, you have a reliable source to stay up to date on key personnel movements. In today’s fast-paced DSO space, knowing who’s who is essential for driving growth and making informed business decisions.
Here is November’s DSO People list:
Ryan Cunningham was promoted to Chief Operating Officer at Guardian Dentistry Partners (GDP). Prior to this promotion, Ryan was their VP of Operations, Northeast. He has been with the DSO for over four years. Before that he was Partner at Montage Dental Group which was acquired by GDP in 2021. Both GDP and Montage made the prestigious “Emerging Group to Watch” list in 2020.
Corey Hastings, DDS, MS, MBA, partner at Blue Sage Management Group – Emerging Group to Watch in 2024 – was recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal as part of their prestigious 40 Under 40 Awards program. This annual program recognizes outstanding professionals and emerging leaders in the St. Louis region. In 2019, Dr. Hastings, along with two fellow dentist partners, co-founded Blue Sage Dental Group, initially launching with a single location in the St. Louis area. Today, the group has expanded to six pediatric dental practices.
Frank Semo Jr joined Oakwood Dental as their Chief Operating Officer. Prior to this position, Frank spent over a decade in recruitment and management at Henry Schein. He began his career as a dental assistant working for Oakwood Dental and Dentistry for Children. Originally founded in Staten Island, NY, Oakwood has seven dental practices, including four on Staten Island and three in New Jersey.
Aria Care Partners announced the promotion of Erin Rake, DDS, to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Dentistry. In this role, she will help spearhead the company’s strategic initiatives and lead the dental clinical teams. Dr. Rake has a doctorate in dental surgery from the Indiana University School of Dentistry and is completing a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama. She has over 20 years of dental care experience. Aria Care Partners provides onsite ancillary medical services, including dental, vision, hearing, and podiatry, for skilled nursing facilities. They have 20+ years of partnership with nearly 3,000 skilled nursing facilities.
Michael Amerstein became CEO at Peak Dental Services. Prior to joining the DSO, Michael was involved in various operations leadership positions at Axia Women’s Health. He was also an administrator at both Nemours and Einstein Healthcare Network. A.J. Peak, who founded Peak Dental Services with his father, had been CEO. He is now the President of Peak Dental Services which is headquartered in Colorado and funded by PE.
Dr. Greg White, President and CEO of PepperPointe Partnerships, received the 2024 University of Kentucky College of Dentistry Distinguished Alumnus Award for his significant contributions to the field of dentistry and his unwavering commitment to the college and surrounding communities.
To be considered for the award, candidates must have demonstrated loyalty to the college, shown excellence in the profession of dentistry, be recognized by their peers for having reached and remained at the pinnacle of their field of dentistry, and shown evidence of merit of work in their field of dentistry and community leadership.
Recognizing the increasing challenges facing traditional dental practitioners, coupled with a growing dissatisfaction among solo and small group practices, Dr. White and his partners established PepperPointe Partnerships in 2017. PepperPointe is a privately doctor-owned, doctor-controlled dental service organization (DSO) that facilitates the formation of Group Practices with the specific intent to preserve the specialty and doctor ownership in the practice. Today, PepperPointe supports more than 130 office locations, including pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, and general dentistry, with more than 100 partner doctors across the country. In 2022, the group was recognized on the prestigious Emerging Groups to Watch list.
Park Dental Partners CEO, Pete Swenson, was named among Minnesota’s most influential health care leaders by Minnesota Physician magazine. Once every four years they invite their readers to submit the names of colleagues whose outstanding leadership can be acknowledged. Park Dental was founded in 1972 by Pete’s father, Dr. Gregory Swenson. The group now has more than 50 locations throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
Stephen Castles has rejoined North American Dental Group (NADG) as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), a role he previously held from 2021 to 2023. During the past year, he served as CFO at Astra Service Partners, bringing additional expertise to his return to NADG. NADG provides support to 230+ dental practices and they are headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA.
Kayla Breidenbach was promoted to Senior Director of Operations at MB2 Dental. Previously she was their Director of Operations. She has held various operations management positions at DentalOne Partners Inc., and Endodontic & Periodontic Assoates Ltd. MB2 recently announced the successful completion of its third recapitalization event, partnering with private equity firm, Warburg Pincus LLC, which invested $525M into the company. The DPO was founded in 2007 by dentist and entrepreneur Dr. Chris Steven Villanueva.
Positive Impact Dental Alliance welcomed Ed Dallwein as their new CFO. Prior to this role, Ed was CFO of Archway Dental Partners briefly. He has also been CFO at Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry, United Dental Partners, and Spring & Sprout Support Services.
Sonrava Health is a geographically diverse, multi-specialty organization comprised of regionally well-recognized brands and affiliates across 21 states: Western Dental & Orthodontics, Western Dental Kids, Brident Dental & Orthodontics, DentalWorks, Perfect Teeth, Vital Smiles, and LooksBrite Optometry Centers. It is headquartered in Coppell, Texas and was founded in 2022. They announced personnel changes:
- Sophia Salazar leaves Western Dental & Orthodontics after a decade for a new position as National Vice President of Specialty
- Ernesto Covarrubias is promoted to Vice President of Operations. He had been their business manager for nearly five years.
Jonathan Lucey was promoted to Head of Connected Care Marketing at Bupa Dental Care UK. He has been involved with the group’s marketing efforts for nearly five years. He was also Marketing Manager at Smiles Dental Ireland. Bupa has over 325 practices around the UK, offering both private and NHS services.
MAX Surgical Specialty Management has announced the appointment of Heather Paricio as Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Heather brings extensive experience to the role, having previously served as Executive Vice President of Operations at MyTown Health Partners. Her career includes key HR leadership positions at CarePoint Health System, Mountainside Medical Center, and Icon Parking, showcasing her expertise in driving organizational growth and operational excellence.
Victoria Ramirez promoted to Senior Manager, Dental Network – National DSO at Aetna, a CVS Company. She has held various management positions with Aetna/CVS for over two decades.
Paul Blocchi joins the team at Black Talon Security as their Sr. Cyber Risk Specialist. With his extensive dental industry experience and background in tech, Paul will play a key role in broadening their reach as a leading cybersecurity partner for healthcare organizations. His commitment to excellence and innovation aligns well with BTS’ mission to protect businesses from the harm of cyber threats.
DSO People is sponsored by Fidler and Associates, the premier executive search firm in the DSO industry and proud partner of Group Dentistry Now. From startup and emerging groups to large, private equity backed organizations Fidler and Associates reputation and experience are unmatched within the industry. Whether you are looking to hire an executive or looking for a new career, please contact Fidler and Associates to discuss your next steps at www.fidlerandassociates.com.
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