Phoenix-based SALT Dental Partners has added more than a dozen practices to its network in the last several months, continuing its streak of strong growth from the last couple of years.
The DSO said last year that it experienced a 300% increase within its geographic footprint during the two previous years, adding 51 offices in five states. It also saw a 261% increase in affiliated practice brands, a 282% increase in its doctor network and a 206% increase in practice locations.
The company set its sights on network expansion after appointing Dylan Bates as CEO in 2023. Mr. Bates previously served as CEO and COO of ATI Physical Therapy, where he led the chain to surpass 800 locations nationwide during his 20-year tenure.
SDP’s network included more than 50 offices in five states when Mr. Bates joined, but it now includes more than 200 locations in 20 states.
Mr. Bates said he joined SALT Dental Partners with the goal of applying best practices he learned from the physical therapy field. Some of the DSO’s strategies for success have included partnering with established, “blue chip” practices who then recruited other offices to join. The company has also fostered a supportive environment for its doctors that has earned it a 100% retention rate.
Mr. Bates also recruited trusted colleagues from the physical therapy field to help him build SDP’s network, including David Pallaschke, who joined the company as CFO last year.
Mr. Pallaschke told Becker’s that strong collaboration between finance and operations teams is key to success for multi-site companies.
“[There are other companies] where finance is a little bit more commanding. It’s not partnering with operations. It’s kind of telling operations what to do,” he said. “I think it is super important to establish a partnership because once you can establish a partnership and you’re able to provide insights, it’s a lot easier to drive the business through the insights and partnership than it is to have a finance team that is sort of commanding and telling operations what to do.”
Mr. Bates told Becker’s last year that the company planned to prioritize organic growth along with additional practice affiliations and de novo office openings.
“In a very short amount of time, we’ve aggregated so many great doctors and great practices,” he said. “We’re growing organically. We have operational infrastructure that I think is very much taking great practices and making them better after they join us. So, it’s a very attractive culture, momentum is there, and what we set out to do is truly playing out. We’re excited about where we’ve been and where we are today, but most importantly, where we’re going tomorrow.”
The DSO has already added several practices this year, including existing offices and de novos.
Here are 20 offices the company has added since last year:
2026
1. Haeger Orthodontists (Washington)
2. Julia Cerny, DMD (New York)
3. Hampton (Va.) Oral & Facial Surgery
4. Berkeley & Orinda Orthodontics (California)
5. Smile Station (Maryland)
6. Smiles Pediatric Dentistry (Oregon)
7. Suffolk Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics (New York)
2025
1. Kirby Nelson Orthodontics (Washington)
2. Parker Orthodontics (Washington)
3. Yakima (Wash.) Orthodontics
4. Howard Orthodontics (Pennsylvania)
5. Riverdale Park (Md.) Pediatric Dentistry
6. Lineberry Orthodontics (Idaho)
7. Oral Surgeons of Oklahoma
8. Timberline Oral Surgery & Dental Implants (Washington)
9. Empire Dental Specialty Group (Ohio)
10. Must Love Kids Pediatric Dentistry (Washington)
11. Sitwell Dental (New York)
12. SoCal Smiles Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry (California)
13. Capital Kids Dentistry (Washington, D.C.)
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