SGA Dental Partners: A Regional Powerhouse in GP and Specialty Dental Care

DSO Spotlight

In hometown communities across the Southeast, SGA Dental Partners is a beacon of positive energy — making a difference in people’s lives. A vibrant, dentist-owned, and dentist-led group, the group has emerged as a force in the dental care industry, particularly in the Southeastern United States.

South Georgia Dental Management, which became SGA Dental Partners, was founded in 2018, on the principle of improving access to high-quality dental services in underserved areas, SGA Dental Partners currently has a network of over 125 general and specialty dentistry practices, employing a shared-ownership model with its dentist partners. Specialties include orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, dental implants, periodontics, and oral and maxillofacial surgery.

This article delves into the story of SGA Dental, exploring its origins, growth strategy, core values, and the vision that drives its continued success.

The Origins of SGA Dental

The founding of SGA Dental was inspired by a keen understanding of the healthcare landscape in the Southeastern United States. The founding doctors and their private equity partner, Thurston Group, recognized a significant gap in access to dental care, particularly for commercially insured patients residing in suburban townships and small towns. While urban centers had relatively good access to dental services, the same could not be said for rural areas. This realization led to the creation of SGA Dental Partners, a dental service organization (DSO) committed to bridging this gap in secondary markets in the proximity of metro markets.

SGA Dental Partners’ foundation comes from the merger of three well-established dental groups from Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Each of these groups had a shared mission: to provide outstanding dental care in rural areas, thereby reducing the need for patients to travel long distances for treatment.

Over time, SGA Dental’s vision has evolved, but its commitment to improving patient experience and delivering exceptional care remains unwavering. Under the strategic guidance of Thurston Group and benefitting from its extensive experience building successful DSOs, the three groups came together, forming a partnership based on Thurston’s growth playbook emphasizing strong foundations in systems and processes.

SGA focused on building an exceptional value proposition for dentists – recruits and new partners – by creating a world class support team and infrastructure. This focus has translated into a highly effective recruiting function with 80+ dentists hired since 2022 and strong M&A momentum. Today, SGA Dental operates in eight Southeastern states, all with significant whitespace for sustained future growth.

What Does SGA Stand For?

SGA stands as a tribute to the company’s roots in South Georgia. Initially named South Georgia Dental Management, the organization rebranded as it expanded beyond the South Georgia market. While the headquarters remain in Richmond Hill, GA, near Savannah, the name SGA Dental Partners reflects a broader regional focus.

Differentiating SGA Dental Partners in the Market

SGA Dental Partners distinguishes itself from other DSOs through its unique regional hybrid model, combining general practice (GP) and specialty services with a deep focus on the Southeastern U.S. Instead of spreading thin across a wide geographic area, SGA Dental adopts a strategy of going deeper into markets where it operates. This approach has allowed the organization to build a strong network of over 600,000 active patients across its eight-state footprint.

The organization’s growth strategy involves complementing its existing GP practices with specialty services in the same regions. This model not only enhances patient care but also taps into the untapped potential in secondary markets throughout the Southeast. By prioritizing depth over breadth, SGA Dental has positioned itself as a regional powerhouse, offering comprehensive dental services that cater to the unique needs of its communities.

Leveraging Strategic Investments for Expansion

SGA Dental Partners has secured successive rounds of financing in partnership with Thurston Group to support growth. SGA Dental’s most recent $350 million financing round will be instrumental in driving its expansion efforts. The investment will be used to pursue growth opportunities, including office expansions, acquisitions, and De Novo practices in target markets throughout the Southeast. This capital infusion will enable SGA Dental to continue executing its growth strategy, further solidifying its position as a leading DSO in the region.

“Securing this substantial investment is a testament to the strength of our business model and the dedication of our team. With this funding, we are well-positioned to accelerate our growth, invest in cutting-edge technology, and expand our footprint to better serve our patients and communities…” –Jordan DiNola, CEO of SGA Dental Partners

Mastering Growth Through Organic Expansion, Strategic Acquisitions, and De Novo Practices

Organic Expansion: SGA Dental Partners has successfully transformed their dental practices through the integration of digital solutions, significantly enhancing orthodontic and restorative care across SGA’s 120+ clinics. SGA carefully analyzed the introduction of iTero scanners for their offices and saw strong results.

According to a recent whitepaper, by leveraging Align’s Invisalign® System and iTero™ intraoral scanners, SGA experienced a 58% year-over-year increase in Invisalign® case volume and a 175% revenue growth in orthodontic services. These tools not only improved clinical outcomes but also enhanced patient education and treatment acceptance. Read full whitepaper.

“We conservatively estimated that for each practice producing two Invisalign cases per month while converting 50% of their single unit crowns to digital submissions would yield a payback in 11 months of the iTero scanner, and it will double our return on investment in 24 months.” –Jordan DiNola, CEO of SGA Dental Partners

Strategic Acquisitions, and De Novo Growth: SGA Dental Partners has adopted a balanced approach to growth, combining organic growth with strategic acquisitions and de novo practices. Since the start of 2022, the organization has achieved ten consecutive quarters of year-over-year organic growth driven primarily by volume increases, with same-store sales growth reaching 8% in 2023—four times the industry average.

In terms of inorganic growth, SGA Dental focuses primarily on acquisitions, targeting offices with strong clinical leaders and untapped potential for growth. These opportunities often arise in markets where existing patient demand exceeds current supply capacity. SGA Dental methodically pursues expansion projects with partner offices, expanding physical footprints and recruiting additional clinical staff to meet previously unmet demand.

De Novo practices are established when there is a clear need within a community, strong demographic indicators of potential success, and a qualified dentist available to provide care. SGA Dental’s deep regional knowledge, gained through its existing partnerships and proprietary data systems, allows the organization to make informed decisions about where to establish new practices.

For both acquisitions and De Novo practices, SGA Dental has a disciplined approach to integrating new practices into the platform, making sure that they benefit from the full breath of SGA Dental’s resources and are best prepared for growth. SGA Dental has honed this approach over the years using Thurston Group’s growth playbook which emphasizes strong systems and processes as a foundation for sustainable growth.

Serving Underserved Communities

One of the key missions of SGA Dental Partners is to serve communities that might otherwise lack access to comprehensive dental care. The organization primarily focuses on secondary and tertiary markets in the proximity of metro markets, including suburban and rural areas where the dentist-to-population ratio is significantly higher than the national average. In the communities SGA Dental serves, this ratio is often 1:2,700, compared to the national average of 1:1,600, a ~60% difference.

SGA Dental strategically targets markets within a 60-minute drive of a metropolitan area. This approach not only helps with recruiting and retaining doctors but also ensures that patients in these underserved areas receive high-quality dental care without having to travel long distances. The organization takes pride in the fact that its doctors are highly productive, well-compensated, and deeply fulfilled by serving a patient base that is genuinely appreciative of their efforts.

Addressing Challenges with Data and Analytics

Since inception, SGA has always prioritized integrating practices onto common systems so the organization – from the CEO through the front office staff – can have access to data and make informed decisions on how to operate the business day-to-day. While this approach is not easy and involves upfront buy-in from new partners, it is central to driving SGA’s strategy and strong performance.

SGA Dental’s leadership team is committed to leveraging data and analytics to drive decision-making and improve patient care. By integrating data across its network, the organization can gain valuable insights into patient needs, operational efficiency, and overall performance. This data-driven approach ensures that SGA Dental remains competitive and continues to deliver exceptional care to its patients.

Sustaining Growth and Expanding Services

To sustain its growth and expand in existing and new regions, SGA Dental Partners has invested heavily in proprietary technology. This technology enables the organization to accurately measure and forecast patient growth in both current and target markets. By making informed investments in its partner offices, SGA Dental can capture growth opportunities, increase patient visits, expand services and deliver overall better patient care.

One area where SGA Dental has seen significant success is in expanding orthodontic services. The organization has invested in advanced technologies like iTero scanners and laser technology, which have not only improved clinical outcomes but also enhanced the patient experience. Additionally, SGA Dental, under the leadership of dentist partners, has established a robust recruiting network within Southeastern dental schools, ensuring a steady pipeline of talented clinicians to support its growth.

Key Successes and Achievements

SGA Dental Partners has achieved several key milestones in its journey, which are a testament to its strategic vision and operational excellence. One notable accomplishment with its private equity partner, Thurston Group, is the establishment of a financing facility that is right sized for the business, ensuring long-term financial stability and growth.

The organization’s consistent track record of same-store sales growth is another significant achievement, testament to SGA Dental’s integrated process and systems built from Thurston Group’s growth playbook. With ten consecutive quarters of growth and an impressive 8% organic growth in 2023 for practices affiliated with SGA Dental for greater than one year, SGA Dental has demonstrated its ability to drive revenue and enhance patient care.

Additionally, SGA Dental takes great pride in maintaining the individual identities of its partner offices while fostering a unifying culture that binds the organization together as one team. This delicate balance has been a key factor in the organization’s success.

Ensuring Consistency in Patient Care

Consistency in patient care is a cornerstone of SGA Dental’s operations. The organization leverages a regional operational leadership structure, with regional teams living in the markets they support. This proximity allows the ops team to be regularly present in the offices they serve, fostering deep relationships with partner doctors and establishing the trust required to drive change effectively.

SGA Dental is committed to continuous improvement, constantly refining its processes to enhance patient care. The organization sets benchmarks for what constitutes a great patient experience while allowing individual offices to maintain their unique personalities. By leading through in-person meetings and ensuring that teams are readily accessible, SGA Dental fosters a culture of accountability and excellence.

Core Values Guiding Daily Operations

The success of SGA Dental Partners can be attributed to the strong core values that guide its day-to-day operations. These values, encapsulated in the acronym FIRE, reflect the organization’s commitment to fostering a positive and supportive environment for both patients and staff.

Family: Patients and employees are treated like family. This sense of belonging fosters a culture of care and compassion that permeates every aspect of the organization.
Integrity: Does what it says it will do. This commitment to integrity builds trust with patients, partners, and employees alike.
Respect: The organization emphasizes the importance of understanding and empathy, both in patient interactions and within its teams.
Empower Improvement: Continuous improvement is a cornerstone of SGA Dental’s philosophy. The organization strives to get better every day, empowering its staff to innovate and enhance patient care.

Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

SGA Dental Partners has set ambitious short-term and long-term goals to guide its future growth and development. In the short-term, the organization aims to continue improving access to care in its existing and neighboring communities throughout the Southeast. This will involve continuing to recruit dentists and hygienists to meet demands, executing on accretive facility expansion projects, expanding its network of partners in existing and new regions and maintaining its status as an industry leader in organic growth.

Meeting patient needs and enhancing the patient experience are also top priorities. SGA Dental is committed to leveraging technology to provide convenient scheduling options and streamline the patient experience to ensure high levels of satisfaction.

In the long-term, SGA Dental envisions creating a fully integrated network of dentists in the Southeast. This integrated approach will further elevate patient access to quality care and improve clinical outcomes while simultaneously creating a more convenient patient experience.

Key Executives:

Jordan DiNola, Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Kyle Hollis, DMD, Chief Clinical Officer
Myles McAllister, Chief Operations Officer
Dr. Zackary L. Bentley, DMD, Chief Development Officer
Jim Paul, Chief Financial Officer
Ron Kerensky, Chief Information Officer
Rebecca Roberson, Chief Human Resources Officer
Dr. Jay Williams, DMD, Cofounder
Dr. Lake Garner, DMD, Cofounder
Paul Smith, Senior Vice President of Growth
Dallas Morris, Vice President of Strategy and Special Projects