For Dallas-based Smile Doctors, growth has never just meant adding locations — it’s meant finding doctors who want to build something bigger than a single practice. That philosophy has driven a shift in how the organization structures its deals, which has helped drive the company to nearly 600 practices.
The orthodontic support organization outperformed its growth plan during the first half of 2026, driven by high single-digit same-store growth, new affiliations, de novo practice openings and increased adult demand for orthodontic services. The company also secured an additional $125 million in growth capital in July to invest in new affiliations, de novo expansion and doctor support.
Scott Law, DMD, co-founder of Smile Doctors, recently joined the “Becker’s Dental + DSO Review Podcast” to discuss how the DSO’s M&A and partnership strategies have evolved over time.
Note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: How have Smile Doctors’ growth strategies evolved over the years into what it is today?
Dr. Scott Law: We’ve always attracted doctors who have wanted to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and orthodontics is such a special part of dentistry. I think we get to be the happy place where people see their teeth transform, and their lives transform in that way. A smile changes everything. It’s a part of every bit of our life, from every bite of food, every kiss [and] every job interview. Things have changed over the last few years just in that we’re a large part acquisition [based], but we’ve also had great success with de novos where we have strategies to do startup practices in markets adjacent to our current footprint. We’ve also changed [from having] a 100% asset purchase strategy to one where we are very much a joint venture, so doctors retain that ownership in their local practice as well as having ownership at the holdco level. That’s been a big benefit. Doctors love it. It keeps that entrepreneurial [spirit] about them really strong, and we have seen the positive effects of that.
We’ve always sought doctors who care a great deal about the future, so we’re not an organization that finds it really attractive when a doctor is looking to just retire, sell their practice and then set sail on the sunset. We want doctors who want to dive in, make us better, see how our systems, processes, our workflows and everything can lean in to make them better, and that they share a little bit of the burden. Practice ownership is stressful, and a lot of doctors reach a point where they’re redlining in all areas of life — life at practice, life at home — so taking that approach to where this is a true partnership and they’re able to grow things there and do what they want with their life is an awesome piece. The focus on the joint venture model — we’ve seen tremendous growth there. Then, when doctors join us and they have ideas to do a second or a third location, we can help them do that through de novos. It’s been a great benefit, and a really positive success for us.
At the Becker's 5th Annual Future of Dentistry Roundtable, taking place September 14-15 in Chicago, dental leaders and executives will gain insights into emerging technologies, practice growth strategies and the evolving landscape of dental care delivery, with a focus on innovation, patient experience and operational excellence. Apply for complimentary registration now.
