Dental Practice
DSOs Are Copying Amazon's Playbook. Most Will Fail.
DSOs are failing to replicate Amazon's scale strategy because dentistry has no network effects, pricing power, or logistics use. The math breaks.
Industry Trends
Industry Trends
Private Equity's $4.2 Billion Dental Bet Is Getting Nervous
Heartland Dental's $4.2B portfolio is restructuring after PE realized DSO consolidation math doesn't work. Expect more dominos to fall.
Dental Practice
M&A Update: PE Deals Down 37%, But Not Dead
PE DSO deals dropped 37% in 2024, but consolidation is shifting, not stopping. Independent practices face lower valuations and longer integration timelines. Know your options.
Dental Practice
Infection Control: New OSHA Guidance Raises Compliance Costs
OSHA updated infection control mandates in June 2025. New standards for sterilization validation...
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.
Industry Trends
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
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
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.
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 applicant pools contracted by 7 percent in 2024 admissions cycles.