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Dentistry Select Launches Directory Linking Patients to Over 300 Independent Dental Practices Amid DSO Growth
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Key Points
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The Dentistry Select launch was issued from Norcross, Georgia on June 24, 2026 and the news was picked up by multiple regional outlets—indicating a broad, coordinated distribution of the announcement.
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Executive Director Serena Suggs is quoted emphasizing the desire for ownership transparency, noting that owners want clear visibility into who actually owns the practice and that the platform helps by displaying independent practices in one place.
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The articles frame the move as part of a broader industry trend: DSOs are expanding their market share, which makes a standardized, independently owned directory more relevant for patients.
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The distribution across several outlets—each with similar language—suggests a single press release being widely syndicated in regional news ecosystems, underscoring a formal PR push for Dentistry Select.
Dentistry Select launched a free online directory on June 24, 2026, listing more than 300 independently owned dental practices across 35 states, according to Barchart. The platform lets patients search by city to find practices owned by dentists — not corporations.
The launch comes as corporate dental groups, known as DSOs, have doubled their market share since 2015 and now employ roughly 14 to 16 percent of all U.S. dentists, according to Becker's Dental Review. Dentistry Select says patients deserve to know who actually owns the office they walk into.
A Verification Badge Separates Independent Practices From Corporate Ones
Each practice listed on Dentistry Select earns a verification badge. To get it, a practice must meet four standards: private dentist ownership, a strong patient reputation, an established community presence, and a clean disciplinary history. The criteria intentionally exclude hybrid models where a corporation holds control behind the scenes.
Executive Director Serena Suggs said the need is clear. "Patients tell us they want to know who actually owns the practice they walk into, and that information is not always easy to find," she said, according to Barchart. The directory puts that information in one searchable place at no cost to the patient.
DSO Giants Now Control Billions as Independent Practices Fight Back
The DSO market — short for Dental Support Organizations — is worth an estimated $166 billion in 2026 and is projected to hit $302 billion by 2035, according to industry data cited by the research team. Heartland Dental alone runs 2,500 offices backed by private equity firm KKR. Aspen Dental operates another 1,100.
Independent dentists who own their practices average $695,000 in annual pay, compared to $433,000 for dentists employed by DSOs — a $262,000 gap, according to data from White Coat Investor. That financial difference gives independent owners a strong incentive to stay visible and competitive.
How the Directory Works: Search, Compare, Then Call Directly
Using Dentistry Select follows three steps. First, a patient searches by city. Second, they review and compare listed practices. Third, they contact the office directly. Dentistry Select does not refer patients or schedule appointments itself, according to Press Release CC.
The simple design reflects a broader patient trend. About 49 percent of consumers now use niche directories and social media as search tools to find specific types of healthcare providers, according to research cited in the Dentistry Select launch materials. Free access removes any barrier to using the tool.
Legislation and Market Forces Push Ownership Transparency Into Spotlight
In February 2026, the American Economic Liberties Project introduced the "Independent Dental Practice Act," a model state bill designed to close loopholes that let corporations control practices while a dentist's name stays on the door, according to Decisions in Dentistry. Dentistry Select's badge criteria directly mirrors those goals.
The announcement was issued from Norcross, Georgia and picked up by regional outlets across the country, according to kdhnews.com. The wide syndication signals a formal PR push aimed at patients who are ready to ask a simple question before their next appointment: who actually owns this place?
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