Becker’s has spent the last several months speaking with practice owners and DSO executives about the future of dentistry, including DSO activity, patient care and technology.
Here are 12 predictions for dentistry in 2026 and beyond:
Dental M&A
Bill Becknell. CEO of Mortenson Dental Partners (Louisville, Ky.): I believe the opportunities for DSO growth will continue to escalate as some private practices continue to look for support through these challenging times and capture the benefits of scale DSOs can bring. I also believe we will see more private equity-backed DSOs going to market as hold periods for investors and their desire for liquidity continues to climb.
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.
Alisa Ulrey. COO of U.S. Oral Surgery Management (Irving, Texas): 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.
Technology
Barry Lyon, DDS. Dental Director for Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics and Dental Care Alliance (Sarasota, Fla.): Robotic dental surgery will develop and be capable of performing tasks with more precision than ever before. Fully autonomous robots have already begun performing crown preps in record time (15 minutes vs. 2 hours). In 10 years, robotic-guided surgery will make dental implants as routine and precise as LASIK eye surgery. The use of lasers and robotics will make dentistry more comfortable and faster than it’s ever been.
Seth Gibree, DMD. Senior Director of Clinical AI and Innovation at Heartland Dental (Effingham, Ill.): We are at a crossroads where technology is moving faster than regulation. If we stay on the sidelines, we allow the “business of dentistry” to dictate the “practice of dentistry.” By maintaining a doctor-led mindset, we ensure that AI tools are built to enhance our diagnostic precision and patient outcomes, rather than just optimizing a vendor’s bottom line. We must be the architects of our own digital future to ensure it remains rooted in clinical excellence and the doctor always remains in the loop of clinical decision-making.
Sundeep Rawal, DMD. Senior Vice President of Implant Support Services at Aspen Dental (Chicago): Looking ahead, the most important advances will not come from individual tools, but from integrated digital systems that connect diagnosis, planning, manufacturing and delivery. Artificial intelligence will play a growing role in diagnostics and treatment planning, helping reduce variability while supporting sound clinical judgment. When AI is paired with same-day manufacturing, in-office printing and well-designed digital workflows, implant care can be delivered more efficiently, more consistently and with greater confidence for both doctors and patients.
Private equity
Gary Boyajian, DDS. Owner of Nationwide Dental Practice Brokers: I think private equity will always be involved in dentistry to some extent because over the past few years interest rates have risen, therefore private equity is more selective in their choice of dental practice, and many of them are insisting on a five-year minimum that the doctor must stay on as an employee. The five-year request is challenging, and I’m getting some resistance from dental sellers. Secondly, it’s become apparent that certain smaller DSOs one year post closing and beyond are having some trouble delivering on their promises of release of the holdback monies, and this is circulating among the dentists in a somewhat negative way.
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.
Robert Trager, DDS. Dentist at JFK Airport (New York City): Since interest rates have fallen over the past year and will probably continue, there will be much more money available for PE firms to invest and M&A. There will be scrutiny in accruing high dental practices that will allow ROI. One can see what has been happening to the medical profession where one cannot find a solo practitioner at least in the New York area. Just about every primary care provider and/or specialist is connected to Langone or Northwell hospitals. Within 10 years, due to retirements and debt-ridden graduates, there will be about 15% of solo dental practitioners left. Most dental graduates will be working for a dental corporation. If they ever anticipate going into a solo or small group practice, they will not have the business skills of management, advertising, insurance, marketing and other indices that will make for a successful business acumen. You will be nothing but a statistic to be reviewed as a production capability for overall success. My suggestion to those who would like to have their own solo practice is to learn as much as possible in the environment you are in to be able to run a successful solo practice.
Patient care
Ash ElDifrawi. Chief Commercial and Brand Officer at The Aspen Group (Chicago): One hard truth worth sitting with: patients don’t experience your org chart or your intentions. They experience how the practice actually operates when they’re anxious, uncertain and deciding whether to say yes.
The takeaway isn’t complicated, but it is uncomfortable. Patient decision-making has changed. Pretending it hasn’t just creates friction, stalled care and missed trust.
Practices that adjust their pacing, communication, and follow-up to match how patients now decide — rather than how they used to — will do better clinically and commercially. Not because they’re softer. Because they’re more realistic.
Dan Burke. Chief Enterprise Strategy Officer and General Counsel at PDS Health (Henderson, Nev.): We’re only at the beginning of deployment and adoption as an industry, but the clinical insights saliva gives makes it a powerful tool for patients and their doctors to move into the world of disease prevention and, in the case of periodontal disease, slowing progression. The data contained in saliva will also help bridge the medical-dental divide by providing critical data for dentists and medical doctors. For example, in time, OB-GYNs, cardiologists, diabetologists and others will come to expect to see regular measurements of key pathogens found in their patients’ saliva which could impact their care and disease management.
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.
