This month, dental executives and clinicians spoke with Becker’s about changing patient behaviour, artificial intelligence, private equity trends and more.
Here is what nine dental leaders told us in January:
Specialized Dental Partners targets growth initiatives amid increased patient demand: Q&A
Scotte Hudsmith. CEO of Specialized Dental Partners (Franklin, Tenn.): All of us have had to get lean and really focus on what we can do to improve efficiency, and AI certainly brings a lot of promise in that area. I think we’re all hopeful about AI. I also think we have to take a very practical approach to it. We can’t just go explore every toy. There are a lot of amazing, great point solutions out there. Many of them are just wrappers around the other language models, and they’re leveraging it so they may have a workflow or user interface, but it’s really something else in the back end. Picking the right ones and understanding what’s really going to add value and how we bring it in is going to be critical for all of the DSOs, regardless of whether you’re a general dentistry DSO, a specialty or multispecialty practice, you’ve really got to pick well.
Where AI will take dentistry next
Chip Fichtner. Principal at Large Practice Sales: While our clients are eager to access lower costs and higher reimbursement rates possible in an IDSO partnership, one of the recent drivers has been AI adoption. Virtually all of the IDSOs and DSOs have already implemented AI in their diagnostic procedures after testing multiple systems over the last two years. Patient interaction AI is in process.
Independent practices are behind the curve on AI adoption as they are unsure as to which vendor to choose and the distraction of the implementation process. In an IDSO partnership, doctors are assured they have chosen the right AI vendor and get experienced support in the implementation [of AI] into their practice. Obviously, this will be a growing issue in 2026 and beyond. AI has proven to provide more accurate diagnosis and increased case acceptance across the IDSO landscape. It is now proven, not just a marketing promise or theory.
US Oral Surgery Management preparing for increased M&A activity in 2026
Alisa Ulrey. COO of U.S. Oral Surgery Management (Irving, Texas): To me, success will come down to execution. This can mean embracing new tools and technologies that improve efficiency. It is essential that while we do that, we maintain our strong clinical quality and help our teams be open to change to support sustainable growth.
Building systems that reduce administrative work and redundant processes is also key. These areas in our space include centralized scheduling, billing, verification, collections, staffing and training. For me, the ability to improve processes, control costs, and enhance outcomes without compromising the patient experience will be essential to success.
Maintaining high standards in M&A and ensuring smooth transitions for new partners is always important. Finally, standardizing operational processes across their organization will allow practices to operate more consistently and efficiently at scale.
How macroeconomic challenges are shifting dental patient behavior
Rahma Samow. President and CEO of ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers (Greenwood Village, Colo.): Being almost five years in the dental industry, what I’m seeing is more informed and value-driven consumers. Patients are truly evaluating their care through a long-term lens, and they’re prioritizing permanent outcomes and peace of mind over speed or the lowest price. The second part is around personalization. The one-size-fits-all approach is losing. Patients now want more customized and personalized treatment plans that reflect their clinical needs, their life circumstances and affordability. Coming to that affordability, it’s truly being reframed around value. Patients want transparency and clarity. Now what we’re seeing is more transparency on how cost connects to the outcome and long-term success. They’re going into the Facebook or Reddit communities where they’re inquiring about different costs, treatment outcomes and longevity. It’s not just about the initial treatment price anymore but how this investment will impact the rest of their lives going forward.
What we’re seeing is technology will continue to support consistency not only from a patient experience perspective but also from a provider experience [perspective.] Providers are selectively choosing the healthcare providers that are really investing in digital workflows and AI that is helping to reduce variability across the system, driving harmonization and standardization to allow clinicians to truly focus on clinical decision-making and deeper connection with their patients.
The emerging surge in dental M&A
Francesca Pregano. COO of Smile Makers Dental Center (Tyson’s Corner, Va.): I believe M&A activity in the dental industry is likely to increase in 2026. However, I also believe the nature of acquisitions will continue to evolve. In my view, buyers will place greater emphasis on practices that deliver an exceptional patient experience and have strong, scalable systems in place, rather than focusing solely on size or topline revenue. Based on what we’ve seen over the past few years, those foundational elements often determine success or failure post-acquisition. As a result, I believe operational maturity, leadership depth and consistency of performance will be key differentiators in determining which practices are most attractive in the market.
Why dental employers are still being ghosted
Barry Lyon, DDS. Dental Director for Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics and Dental Care Alliance (Sarasota, Fla.): Part of the reason employers continue to be ghosted lies in the hiring process itself. A major step to prevent being ghosted is developing an early relationship with the candidate and communicating transparently. If Dr. Heriot-Maitland is correct, this would help offset the threat response that provokes the candidate to disappear.
Mortenson Dental Partners achieves above-average growth, eyes future practice affiliations
Bill Becknell. CEO of Mortenson Dental Partners (Louisville, Ky.): Providers and patients are what drive DSO success every year, and [2026] is no exception. Supporting doctors and hygienists so they can focus on their patients’ care and experience is critical to ongoing and consistent success. It’s important to ensure providers know they have a voice by giving them plenty of opportunities to provide feedback and share the type of support they need from their DSO. Along with providing the administrative support to run their practices on a daily basis, DSOs can also support the long-term growth of providers by giving them access to clinical education opportunities that will help them expand their skillset so they can serve more treatment needs. Yes, there are many other strategies, but all of those need to be evaluated through the lens of how it supports the provider and patient interactions.
How private equity could influence dentistry in 2026
Krista Kappus, DDS. Fitch Mountain Dental (Healdsburg, Calif.): I believe private equity will continue to consolidate dentistry, with smaller firms merging into larger, more established organizations. As these entities gain influence, they are likely to increasingly dictate treatment options, material selection and operational decisions. Over time, this consolidation may also contribute to reduced job opportunities and downward pressure on salaries across the profession.
Dentists’ proudest accomplishments in 2025
Laurence Levine, DDS. Periodontist at Bella Smiles (Las Vegas): After multiple decades of treating periodontal and implant patients, I have received many appreciative texts from patients and fellow dentists whose patients I treat. In early 2025, I placed two implants on a patient who had no concept of nutrition and only got cursory diabetic control information from her physician. Prior to implantation, I spend a lot of time explaining fasting glucose, A1C, fasting insulin values and relating the significance of high triglycerides related to high HDL as it relates to insulin resistance. I kept it simple, but I explained the importance of high protein, healthy fats, low carbs and the glycemic index for eating. The implants were successful, the patient liked her smile and around Thanksgiving, I got a wonderful text about how the implants were life-changing for the patient and validated everything we do for the patient’s entire health.
