Irving, Texas-based U.S. Oral Surgery Management is focusing on enhancing its core functions to support doctor growth as it prepares for an increasingly active market.
USOSM COO Alisa Ulrey recently spoke with Becker’s about the MSO’s goals for 2026 and her predictions for the dental market.
Editor’s note: These responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: How would you describe USOSM’s growth in 2025?
Alisa Ulrey: 2025 was a strong year for USOSM. We continued to add new partner practices while expanding our footprint, and growth remained steady throughout the year. More practices are choosing to partner with USOSM, and we expect that momentum to carry into 2026.
We also focused heavily on organic growth by improving operational processes, rates and opening more de novos. Even with economic uncertainty, we performed well and continued to grow in a healthy way.
Q: What accomplishments are you most proud of?
AU: One of our biggest accomplishments was welcoming several partner practices to USOSM, including locations in markets where we previously had no presence. We expanded into new states, including Wisconsin and Utah, increasing our presence to 31 states nationwide.
We also made progress in strengthening our systems and processes. That included streamlining operations and expanding the use of technology to better support our practices. This will continue to be an area where we will invest and optimize. We are also excited to continue to grow our Centers of Excellence. This will ensure we are well-positioned to support high quality patient care across USOSM. Overall, the progress we made in helping practices operate more effectively day to day stands out as a key achievement.
Q: What are your goals for the first quarter of 2026, and how are you setting up for success?
AU: Our focus is on strengthening the foundational elements that help practices run smoothly. That includes better tools for training and development, simplified daily workflows and targeted support where teams need it most.
We’ve also implemented clearer KPIs to help us identify opportunities at the practice level, allowing us to provide more tailored support while maintaining a strong patient experience.
Another priority is enhancing the onboarding experience for new partner practices through our Value Creation Experience at the Practice Support Center. This helps set the tone for partnership and operational excellence, which is especially important as we anticipate increased M&A activity.
Finally, we’re continuing to invest in technology solutions that improve efficiency and allow surgeons to spend more time focused on patient care.
Q: What can we expect from USOSM next year in terms of organic and inorganic growth?
AU: On the organic side, we’re focused on helping practices grow through stronger foundational operations, centralized services, an improved referral pipeline and better patient flow through our Patient Journey initiatives.
From an inorganic perspective, we expect continued partnership opportunities. Our specialty remains attractive, and we believe 2026 will bring increased M&A activity.
Q: What will be the biggest challenges for DSOs and MSOs next year?
AU: A few areas stand out, including managing the higher cost of doing business, which leads to tighter margins; recruiting and retaining high-quality clinical talent; and keeping up with all the new technology solutions that are flooding the space. It is important that we ensure any investment we make truly supports our surgeons and practices. With an increasing number of AI solutions entering the space, it is essential to carefully evaluate which ones will deliver meaningful value.
So often, practices onboard and DSOs operate within how they have always done processes. As organizations grow, operational complexity increases, and having the right investment in infrastructure becomes essential. This is foundational for success and growth.
Q: What will make or break DSO success next year?
AU: 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.
Q: What are your predictions for DSO M&A in 2026?AU:
AU: We expect M&A activity to pick up. With lower interest rates and pent‑up demand, we expect more groups to come to the table, creating increased opportunities for partnership across our space.
