Live Webinar | October 15, 2026
Every Dentist Exits Their Practice: Don't Get Caught With Your Hands Tied
LIVE WEBINAR | October 15, 2026 | This session helps dental practice owners evaluate today’s exit options—including doctor-to-doctor sales, DSO partnerships, and alternative deal structures—while navigating rising costs, tighter lending, and a changing practice sales market. (1 credit)
- Thursday, October 15, 2026
- 8:00 PM EST / 7:00 PM CST
- Connor Jorgensen & Ryan Mingus
- Supported by Tusk Practice Sales
- 1 hour
- 1 credit
- Free
Summary
Every dental practice owner exits their practice eventually. What has changed is how much of that exit the owner controls.
There are three traditional paths out of a practice: sell to an associate or another doctor, partner with a DSO, or close your doors. Doctor-to-doctor transitions have narrowed as associates carry more debt, and the lending appetite for single practice acquisitions has tightened. DSOs remain active but are scrutinizing deals more closely than at any point in recent years. And with dental staff wages and supply costs each up 23% since January 2021 against 19% reimbursement growth, owners are working harder to hold onto their business.
There is also the question of timing relative to everyone else. In some states, more than 40% of dentists are now 55 or older, and 90.1% of dentists aged 55 to 64 own their practice. A large share of that group will have to make a decision about what their exit looks like sooner rather than later.
Ryan Mingus, Managing Director and Partner, and Connor Jorgensen, Director, at TUSK Practice Sales lay out the paths available to a practice owner today and what each one requires and costs under current conditions. The session covers how DSO deal structures actually differ today, including the best-kept secret for owners not ready to sell 100% of their practice, the state of the doctor-to-doctor transitions market, the operational levers owners are using against margin pressure, and how to weigh all possible paths for your practice.
This session is built for every practice owner, regardless of how you will exit your practice.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the pathways available to a dental practice owner today and explain why every owner eventually faces the decision.
- Explain how doctor-to-doctor and DSO transitions are each structured, financed, and evaluated in the current market.
- Explain how acquisition lending capacity, buyer education debt, and interest rates together limit what an individual buyer is able to purchase.
- Identify the practice characteristics and timing factors that disqualify a practice from each pathway.
- Analyze how dentist demographics and the concentration of owners approaching retirement affect seller position and transaction timing.
- Apply preparation steps that preserve more than one pathway, including approaches to associate and staff continuity.
Presented by
Ryan Mingus, Managing Director & Partner, TUSK Practice Sales
Ryan has 12+ years of sales and leadership experience in the dental and healthcare industry, most recently as Business Development Director for Strategy and Optimization at Align Technology, Inc. Mr. Mingus earned his BA in Economics and Business from the Virginia Military Institute and his MBA from the University of San Diego. He also held the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army National Guard.
Connor Jorgensen, Director, TUSK Practice Sales
Connor Jorgensen has over a decade of experience in the dental industry focused on growth strategies and value creation. Most recently, he was the Director of Business Development at a national DSO focused on organizational growth. He earned his B.S. in Marketing from the Ivy School of Business at Iowa State University.
Supported in part through an unrestricted educational grant by:
CE credit(s): 1 credit
Course Type: Live Webinar
Published Date: October 15, 2026
This continuing education (CE) activity was developed by Endeavor Business Media with no commercial support.
This course was written for dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants, from novice to skilled.
Educational methods: This course is a self-instructional journal and web activity.
Provider disclosure: Endeavor Business Media neither has a leadership position nor a commercial interest in any products or services discussed or shared in this educational activity. No manufacturer or third party had any input in the development of the course content.
Requirements for successful completion: To obtain 1 CE credit for this educational activity, you must pay the required fee, review the material, complete the course evaluation, and obtain an exam score of 70% or higher.
CE planner disclosure: Laura Winfield, Endeavor Business Media dental group CE coordinator, neither has a leadership nor commercial interest with the products or services discussed in this educational activity. Ms. Winfield can be reached at lwinfield@endeavorb2b.com.
Educational disclaimer: Completing a single continuing education course does not provide enough information to result in the participant being an expert in the field related to the course topic. It is a combination of many educational courses and clinical experience that allows the participant to develop skills and expertise.
Image authenticity statement: The images in this educational activity have not been altered.
Scientific integrity statement: Information shared in this CE course is developed from clinical research and represents the most current information available from evidence-based dentistry.
Known benefits and limitations of the data: The information presented in this educational activity is derived from the data and information contained in the reference section.
Registration: The cost of this CE course is free for 1 CE credits.
Cancellation and refund policy: Any participant who is not 100% satisfied with this course can request a full refund by contacting Endeavor Business Media in writing.
Provider information:
Endeavor Business Media is a nationally approved PACE program provider for FAGD/MAGD credit.
Approval does not imply acceptance by any regulatory authority or AGD endorsement.
11/1/2024 to 10/31/2028.
Provider ID# 320452
AGD code: 610/670
