Dental/DSOs

Why Benesch? We approach dentistry like dentists approach dentistry, through comprehensive preventative practices through the treatment continuum. Comprehensive dentistry is a holistic process with a full suite of services that focuses on one’s well-being, including both oral health and general physical and mental health. Our dental professionals, including our attorneys, paralegals, and professional staff do the same. We are committed to our clients. That is, we provide a wide variety of services to individual dental practices, group practices, DSOs, individual dentists, and other individuals and businesses that service the dental industry. We do that by separating our practice group into three main areas: (i) DSOs; (ii) transactional M&A work; and (iii) everyday legal services necessary to support our dental clients. We then support all three areas by being completely immersed in the industry and inquisitive thought leaders in all aspects of what dentistry is and will be.

DSO Practice

Benesch works with DSO start-ups, including roll-ups, emerging DSOs, and mature DSOs. Our representation includes working with our private equity-backed clients on forming new platforms/portfolio companies, add-on acquisitions, recapitalization/liquidity events, roll-ups of practice groups, regulatory compliance and guidance, including fraud and abuse laws, legislative oversight, both federal and state-by-state, and general counsel advice on every-day issues arising in a DSO. Our DSO representation is rooted in a deep understanding and 20+ years of experience representing dentists, our experience in representing start-ups, and our experience in representing growth-minded and mature businesses. We have learned alongside our dentist clients, from the very beginning of DSOs’ entrance into the dental industry through today, that staying ahead of the ever-changing climate and headwinds impacting DSOs is absolutely imperative.

Transactional M&A Work

Benesch is a transactional firm, supporting our individual dentists, individual practices, group practices, and our DSOs with all aspects of the transition experience. We work closely with our individual dentists on forming de novo practice operations, acquiring existing practice operations, and, as our dental clients mature, working with them on their succession plans and ultimate transitions of their particular dental practice to either a strategic or financial buyer. We also work with our group practices and our DSOs on add-on acquisitions, sales, recapitalization/liquidity events, as well as mergers with other dental practice entities. Benesch is well-versed in financial modeling, EBITDA calculation, key-performance indicators that impact practice values, the practice valuation and methodologies used in transitions, buy-sell negotiations, preparation of deal documents, including letters of intent, purchase agreements, and related ancillary documents, advising on the tax and regulatory intricacies impacting transitions, and working with our investment banking, private equity firm, lender, broker, and other miscellaneous industry partners to ensure a smooth transition experience for all involved.

General Counsel Work

We regularly serve in an outside general counsel role to our dental and DSO clients. This representation includes forming new dental practices, dental board matters, real estate purchase and sales, commercial lease matters, employee benefits, tax planning, employment matters, including employment agreements, human resources, governmental audits/examinations, regulatory compliance, including fraud and abuse laws, succession planning, operational consulting, insurance and professional liability matters, and governmental affairs. In sum, as thought leaders in the dental space, our attorneys are well-positioned to advise individual dentists, individual practices, group practices, and our DSOs on all aspects of the dental experience.

We have specific experience advising general dentists and specialists, including those in the following specialties:

• Cosmetic Dentistry
• Endodontics
• Implantology
• Oral Surgery
• Orthodontics
• Pediatric
• Periodontics
• Prosthodontics
• Anesthesia

We Know the DSO Industry Nationally

Benesch is able to provide dentist/DSO representation in any state. For matters that require specific expertise, we engage and coordinate with local counsel. We have recent experience in the states below: