Dentalcorp Acquires Florida-Based Northstar Dental Partners

Canada’s Dentalcorp, among the largest and fastest-growing networks of dental practices in North America, today announced its entry into the U.S. market with the acquisition of Northstar Dental Partners, a group with 21 supported dental practices headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. The partnership, the company’s first in the United States, represents a seminal moment in Dentalcorp’s history.

Oral Surgery Partners expands network in three states

Chesterfield, Mo.-based Oral Surgery Partners recently added practices in Georgia, Tennessee and Missouri. The MSO’s newest partners are John Hofheins, DMD, MD in St. Louis; Austin Meadows, DMD, MD, in Columbus, Ga.; and Qingcong Zeng, DDS, MD, who owns three practice locations in Tennessee. Oral Surgery Partners supports more than 80 practices in 25 states.

Open Dental Becomes First Electronic Dental Record Technology to Connect to Kno2, Advances Dental Interoperability Nationwide

BOISE, Idaho, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kno2®, the company leading the future of healthcare communication and a federally designated Qualified Health Information Network (QHIN) and CMS Aligned Network, today announced that Open Dental will become Kno2 Connected™, making it the first dental practice management system (PMS) to connect thousands of dental providers to the broader medical care continuum through Kno2’s nationwide network.

New ADA toolkit aims to reduce credentialing delays for dentists

As part of continued efforts to address credentialing delays — a common administrative burden dentists face — the American Dental Association has released a new provisional credentialing toolkit for payers. Through the toolkit, which was approved by the ADA Council on Dental Benefit Programs in May, the ADA encourages payers to adopt provisional credentialing policies that allow qualified dentists to begin treating plan members while final credentialing requirements are completed.

Virginia is running short on dental hygienists; wait times are growing

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – Virginia is facing a shortage of dental hygienists that is stretching wait times for preventive care appointments, according to a new report from the Virginia Department of Health Professions’ Healthcare Workforce Data Center, analyzed by the Virginia Dental Association. Federal Health Resources and Services Administration projections rank Virginia second to last among states in meeting the demand for hygienists, at 66% adequacy.

The biggest DSO acquisitions in 2026

Here are some of the most notable DSO acquisitions that have taken place so far this year.

Average gross billings for owner dentists surpassed $1M in 2025

The average gross billings per dentist for owner dentists in private practice was more than $1 million in 2025, according to data from the American Dental Association. Solo owners’ average gross billings per dentist was more than $200,000 higher than that of owner dentists in nonsolo practices. The average gross billings was more than $1.2 million for specialty dentists.

Curve Dental Launches Curve Care+, A Native Clinical AI Suite Built for Modern Dentistry

ALPHARETTA, Ga., July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Curve Dental®, the leading provider of all-in-one, cloud-based dental practice management software, today announced the launch of Curve Care+, a native, voice-driven clinical AI suite designed to help providers reduce documentation burden, streamline charting, and create more time for patient care.

CenterGate Invests in Canadian Dental Labs

CenterGate Capital (“CenterGate”), an Austin, Texas-based private equity investment firm, announced today that its affiliate has made an investment in Canadian Dental Labs (“CDL” or the “Company”), Canada’s leading manufacturer of dental prosthetics and orthodontic appliances. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, CDL is the parent company of a portfolio of premium dental laboratory groups, including Shaw Lab Group in Ontario, Protec Dental in British Columbia, Hallmark Dental in Atlantic Canada, and Universal Dental in Alberta. CDL operates eleven state-of-the-art laboratories across Canada.

TUSK Releases Q3 Dental Market Report

TUSK Practice Sales (“TUSK”), top healthcare-focused M&A advisor, recently released its Q3 2026 Dental Market Report, an in-depth analysis of the latest trends and developments across the dental industry. The report reviews how the dental market progressed through the first half of 2026, examining the operating environment, buy-side activity, the dental practice valuation landscape, and the outlook for the remainder of the year.

Guardian Dentistry Partners acquires Select Dental Management, adds 38 locations

Miami-based Guardian Dentistry Partners has entered into a definitive agreement for a strategic majority acquisition of Florham Park, N.J.-based Select Dental Management. Select Dental Management has a network of 38 locations across eight states and Washington, D.C., supporting more than 130 dentists, according to a July 15 news release from Guardian Dentistry Partners.

Smile Doctors secures $125M in capital, closes in on 600 practices

Dallas-based Smile Doctors secured an additional $125 million in growth capital to invest in new affiliations, de novo expansion and support for affiliated practices. The orthodontic support organization outperformed its growth plan in the first half of 2026 and expects to surpass 600 total locations by the end of the year, according to a July 14 news release from Smile Doctors.

Lone Peak Dental Group closes $170M recapitalization to fuel acquisition growth

Englewood, Colo.-based Lone Peak Dental Group has completed a $170 million recapitalization led by TCW Steel City, a private credit platform. The financing includes a term loan, revolver and delayed draw term loan to support future acquisitions, according to a July 7 news release. Additional lenders included Brightwood Capital Advisors, CIFC Asset Management and CalSTRS.

Free dental event in North Charleston doubles in size for second yearEvents

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Palmetto Palace is hosting its second annual free dental care event this week, with no insurance or identification required to participate. Free dental days start July 19th at the Charleston Area Convention Center, where first-time residents can get their X-rays to help determine what treatments they’ll need on July 17th and 18th.

Eagle Dental’s Crown Lengthening Burs Make Precision Effortless

Eagle Crown Lengthening Burs are designed to make surgical precision effortless—helping clinicians expose more tooth structure smoothly, efficiently, and with total control. Users can achieve optimal crown length with minimal effort, reduce chair time, and ensure seamless restorative outcomes.

1-800-Dentist faces class-action lawsuit over data breach

A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed against Futuredontics, the parent company of 1-800-Dentist, over the company’s recent data breach. Russian-based ransomware group Qili claimed on its blog June 28 that it stole an undisclosed amount of data from 1-800-Dentist. The group posted several sample files reportedly containing information from the last decade, including lead-generation information, customer data, employee payroll and salary records, confidentiality agreements and financial data. The hackers threatened to publish the files unless the company contacted them and paid an unspecific ransom amount.

From the first dental MRI to orthodontic AI: Four FDA clearances reshaping dentistry

Dental technology is moving quickly, with new imaging, artificial intelligence and patient communication tools gaining regulatory clearance in the United States. Here are four dental technologies that received FDA clearance this year, listed from oldest to newest.

Virginia’s largest dental group adds Overjet AI platform

Willis & Associates Family Dentistry recently onboarded Overjet’s artificial intelligence platform. Willis & Associates Family Dentistry is the largest doctor-owned dental group in Virginia, with 25 locations in the state. The practice is fully rolling out the platform across its network after a successful pilot at its office in Crozet, Va., according to a July 9 news release.

Swiss Dental Startup vVardis Is Preparing for US IPO

Vardis Holding AG, a Swiss dental startup, is working with banks for a US initial public offering that could come this year, according to people familiar with the matter.

California dental practice adds humanoid robot for front-desk help

Faraday Future has delivered its Master humanoid robot to Wonderful Life Dental Group in Los Angeles, marking the company’s first deployment of an embodied AI robot in a healthcare setting.

Lone Peak Dental Group secures $15M investment

Denver-based Lone Peak Dental Group has received a $15 million mezzanine debt investment from o15 Capital Partners, an alternative investment firm.
Lone Peak Dental Partners has a network of 73 affiliated practices across 14 states, providing pediatric dental, orthodontic and specialty services,

Assured Dental Lab introduces Z-Brux Direct

Assured Dental Lab introduces Z-Brux Direct, the zirconia crown designed for strength, simplicity, and speed in everyday posterior single-unit cases. This digital-scan-only solution streamlines your workflow—just send your STL file; no model is required.

Free dental clinic opens in Lexington

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Mayor Linda Gorton announced the opening of a free dental clinic in Lexington.The SHARE Kentucky Free Dental Clinic on Georgetown Road June 1. Mayor Gorton says, “The new facility is dedicated to providing accessible dental care for everyone.

The 10 states with the largest leaps in dental hygienist pay

Nevada saw the largest year-over-year increase in the average annual salary for dental hygienists from 2024 to 2025, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Across the U.S., the average annual salary for dental hygienists increased $5,100, climbing from $93,890 in 2024 to $98,990 in 2025.

Orthodontist pay by state, adjusted by cost of living

Connecticut has the highest hourly mean wage for general dentists in the U.S., while Colorado has the highest hourly mean wage for the profession when adjusted for cost of living, according to new data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Across the U.S., orthodontists earn an average annual wage of $259,400.

South Carolina dental office placed on lockdown during bomb scare

A South Carolina dental practice was placed on lockdown after suitcases left near the front door led to a bomb threat investigation, WIS reported June 29. The Columbia Police Department and Columbia Fire Department responded to a call of a suspicious package on the morning of June 29. Two suitcases were found in a bush by the dental practice’s entrance, leading to a lockdown of nearby buildings and roads.

Ransomware Group Claims Alleged Attack on 1-800-Dentist

According to reporting by Cybernews, the ransomware group Qilin has claimed responsibility for an alleged cyberattack targeting 1-800-Dentist, a nationwide dental referral service. The group reportedly posted the company on its leak site, alleging it had obtained sensitive data and threatening to publish the information if its demands are not met.

Cryo-EM helps identify the mechanisms of dental plaque formation

Periodontal (gum) disease is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, caused by the bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis). Published in Communications Biology, a joint study by the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Tottori University, Hiroshima University and Nagasaki University provides new insights into how this bacterium causes plaque formation.

Delta Dental of Washington faces class-action lawsuit over reimbursements

A Washington dentist recently filed a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing Delta Dental of Washington of violating antitrust laws. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Court documents list Jeffrey Henneberg, DDS, as the plaintiff, alleging that Delta Dental of Washington worked to suppress reimbursement rates paid to dental providers in violation of Washington antitrust law.

Top 10 dental, DSO stories in June

Some of Becker’s most-read articles this month covered DSO consolidation, license suspensions, economic challenges and lawsuit settlements. Here are the top 10 most-read dental articles from Becker’s in June.

Congress looks to drag healthcare private equity into the light

Concern over healthcare consolidation is growing on Capitol Hill, but the private equity firms that some lawmakers blame for intensifying industry concentration have mostly escaped legislative attention. That may be about  to change. Leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee pledged last Thursday to work on bipartisan draft legislation that would require extensive reporting of private equity investors’ healthcare holdings.

Dentistry’s highest-paid CEO

Align Technology CEO Joseph Hogan is one of the highest-paid CEOs among S&P 500 companies, The Wall Street Journal reported June 22.

The Journal ranked compensation for CEOs who had been in their roles for at least one year for fiscal years ending after June 30, 2025, and disclosing pay before May 30, 2026.

Mr. Hogan ranked No. 176 on the list, with his total compensation listed as $19 million, a -29.7% decline from last year.

Nationwide DOJ health care fraud takedown includes Washington dental, home care cases

SEATTLE — Washington dental clinics and home health care providers were among the cases included in a national health care fraud enforcement action announced by the Department of Justice.

The DOJ said the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, in cases involving more than $6.5 billion in alleged false claims.

Mini robot simplifies dental treatment by preparing teeth for crowns

Researchers at the University of Basel have developed a miniature dental robot that could one day automatically prepare teeth for crowns. The technology could help reduce the number of appointments needed for dental treatment.

Lawmakers approve almost $700M for VCU to buy Altria building, build dental school

As part of the budget, state lawmakers on Monday approved two major capital projects for Virginia Commonwealth University: purchasing the Altria Center for Research and Technology for almost $230 million and building a new dental school for $445 million.

Dental website operator settles class-action privacy lawsuit for $12.7M

Wyssta Services, which operates an online portal for certain Delta Dental plan members, has agreed to pay nearly $12.7 million to settle allegations that it installed advertising and analytics tracking technologies without users’ knowledge or consent.

The lawsuit, Feeler v. Wyssta Services, alleged that the company violated the Electronic Communications Privacy Act and the Illinois Eavesdropping Statute by using tracking technologies, including cookies and pixels, according to a June 18 notice from Kroll Settlement Administration.

MCNA Dental agrees to multimillion-dollar settlement over 2023 ransomware attack

MCNA Dental has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit stemming from a 2023 LockBit ransomware attack that affected nearly 9 million people.

The LockBit group gained access to MCNA’s network Feb. 22, 2023, and maintained access through March 7, 2023. The attackers exfiltrated roughly 700 gigabytes of data — including names, Social Security numbers, health insurance information and dental treatment records — and later published it after MCNA failed to pay a $10 million ransom.

Illinois dentist, practice employee charged with Medicaid fraud

A dentist and dental practice employee in Chicago have been charged with defrauding Illinois out of more than $100,000 in Medicaid funds.

Between January 2018 and November 2024, Blanca Murillo, DDS, owner of Blanca Murillo DDS, was paid more than $100,000 in claims for dental services that were never provided, according to a June 10 news release from the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.

Dental Tourism Is Booming Amid Trump Admin Medicaid Cuts

A new report from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, a healthcare advocacy group, found that nearly 10 million Americans have traveled outside the U.S. for dental care — the most common form of medical tourism in the U.S. The Journal of International Oral Health estimates that “costs for dental care in Mexico are usually 50%-75% less than what is charged in the United States.”

Ultradent to be acquired by Japanese manufacturing company for $900M

Japanese chemical manufacturer Mitsui Chemicals plans to acquire South Jordan, Utah-based Ultradent for $900 million. Mitsui’s U.S. subsidiary will acquire Ultradent through a new holding company, according to a June 12 news release. The deal aims to expand the company’s footprint in the U.S. dental market and strengthen its Life & Healthcare Solutions business.

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