Dental Practice
Implant Market: Growing, But Consolidating
The implant market is growing 6-8% annually, but 5 companies control 88% of market share. Consolidation means pricing power for manufacturers and margin pressure for practices.
Dental Practice
Group Practice vs Solo: The Pendulum Swung Again
Solo practices are outcompeting groups again. Associate supply is tight, overhead advantage evaporated, and DSO exit multiples collapsed. The group model's economic case no longer holds.
Dental Practice
Patient Acquisition Costs Are Climbing
Patient acquisition costs have climbed 35-40% since 2021. Most practices don't track the true CAC or use referrals, which remain the cheapest acquisition channel by 10x.
Dental Practice
Hygienist Scope Expansion: States Are Moving Faster Than You
Hygienist scope is expanding in 30+ states, and unsupervised dental therapists work independently in 5. Your practices is probably under-utilizing available scope and leaving $40K-$60K in annual revenue on the table.
Dental Practice
Practice Management Platforms: Consolidation Has Winners and Losers
Practice management software is consolidating to Dentrix and Eaglesoft. Smaller platforms are losing market share. Mid-market platforms will either raise prices or be abandoned.
Dental Practice
AI Caries Detection: Faster, But Not Smarter
AI caries detection shows 90% accuracy in studies but has high false positive rates in clinical practice. The software solves DSO problems (low-quality diagnostics) not independent practice problems.
Dental Practice
PPO vs FFS: The Math Still Favors FFS
Pure PPO dentistry reduces your profit margin by 40-50% compared to FFS, despite higher volume. Here's the financial breakdown and why the math still favors fee-for-service for independent practices.
Dental Practice
Teledentistry Rules: Still Unclear After a Year
Teledentistry regulations remain fragmented across states and insurers one year post-pandemic. Most practices don't know what's legal or reimbursed.
Dental Practice
Heartland Restructuring: The Reckoning Arrives
Heartland Dental's $4B+ restructuring proves PE's consolidation thesis failed: synergies don't exist, debt crushes returns, and DSOs can't scale profitably.
Dental Practice
Supply Chain Has Stabilized. Margins Are Going to Pressure Again.
Supply Chain Has Stabilized. Margins Are Going to Pressure Again. Dental supply shortages that plagued 2021-2023 are over. Patterson, Henry Schein, and Benco...
Dental Practice
Dental School Enrollment Dropped (More Consolidation Coming).
Dental School Enrollment Dropped (More Consolidation Coming). Dental school applicant pools contracted by 7 percent in 2024 admissions cycles.
Dental Practice
The Clear Aligner Market Just Fractured. Invisalign Is Losing Ground.
The Clear Aligner Market Just Fractured. Invisalign Is Losing Ground. Invisible Braces, SmileDirect, Candid, and six smaller players all claimed 15-20 percen...