What Seattle Study Club does

Seattle Study Club, Inc. is a privately held dental education and professional community organization founded circa 1995 by Dr. Michael Cohen and headquartered in Kirkland, Washington. The company operates a network of more than 250 local study clubs serving over 5,000 dental professionals across the United States, with additional presence in Canada and limited international chapters. Its core offering is an annual membership program providing access to local peer-led study clubs, case collaboration, continuing education (CE) credits, and national events such as the annual Symposium (e.g., Symposium 2027 in Marco Island, FL) and the Directors/Coordinators Summit.

The platform is delivered through the Club Connect member portal (an online login, resource vault, and partner benefits hub) and is complemented by specialized sub-brands including the Rise Institute (a year-long intensive hands-on educational program delivered across three North American training centers), The Aviary (a learning platform for dental hygienists), SSC Healthcare (exclusive medical/ancillary coverage for solo and small dental practices), and the Align Discount Program (complimentary Invisalign certification and member pricing on Align Technology products). The company holds ADA CERP Recognized Provider status and AGD PACE Program Provider approval (ID# 300136, through 9/20/2027), enabling it to issue up to 112 CE credits recognized for FAGD/MAGD credit.

Revenue is generated through annual membership dues, premium tuition for the Rise Institute, registration fees for the Symposium and Summit, affiliate/referral economics from a 30+ partner ecosystem (including Benco Dental, Align Technology, HuFriedyGroup, Dental Intelligence, CareCredit, Solventum, Straumann, and others), and member programs such as the Align Discount Program and SSC Healthcare. The company employs 51-100 staff and is founder-controlled with no disclosed external private equity or venture capital backing.

Name

Seattle Study Club

Legal name

Seattle Study Club, Inc.

Website

https://seattlestudyclub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Seattle Study Club is a private dental education organization operating 250+ local study clubs and serving 5,000+ dental practitioners nationwide through membership-based continuing education, national events, and a multi-partner benefits ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kirkland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for joining Seattle Study Club's network of local study clubs. Members gain access to CE courses, local club meetings, national events, partner discounts, and member benefits.
2. National Events (Symposium): Revenue from annual flagship symposium events including registration fees. Symposium 2027 in Marco Island, FL serves as a major annual revenue event.
3. Rise Institute Tuition: Year-long intensive educational program with 16 days of hands-on training at multiple locations including Denver. Represents premium educational programming revenue.
4. Align Discount Program: Revenue through partnership with Align Technology offering member discounts on Invisalign products and certification. While discounts benefit members, the partnership creates business development value.
5. Partner Program: Partnership program where partners (dental equipment suppliers, technology companies, financial services) gain access to over 5,000 practitioners for exclusive savings and resources. Value created through network access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Seattle Study Club operates the largest U.S. network of dental study clubs, providing dentists, specialists, and hygienists with annual membership that includes access to 250+ local clubs, peer case collaboration, continuing education (CE) credits approved by ADA CERP and AGD PACE, and a suite of member benefits such as the Align Discount Program and SSC Healthcare. Supplemental paid offerings include the Rise Institute year-long intensive training program, the annual Symposium and Directors/Coordinators Summit events, and The Aviary learning platform for hygienists.

Product overview

Seattle Study Club operates as a dental education network offering a platform-plus-programs model. The core offering is the membership program providing access to 250+ local study clubs and 5,000+ members with CE credits, workshops, peer collaboration, and case reviews. Related offerings include the Club Director Program for leading local chapters, the annual Symposium national event, Directors/Coordinators Summit, and The Aviary for hygienists. Member benefits include the Align Discount Program (savings on Align Technology/Invisalign products), SSC Healthcare (exclusive medical/ancillary plans), and Club Connect (online portal). The Rise Institute provides year-long intensive training at multiple centers. The company also publishes a blog covering interdisciplinary collaboration, hygiene education, CE programs, leadership development, and practice growth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Aviary: A platform for dental hygienists offering flexible, high-impact learning with world-class education, CE credits, and peer connections nationwide
• Rise Institute
• Club Connect

Products and services

• Seattle Study Club Membership
• Club Director Program
• Align Discount Program
• Symposium
• Directors / Coordinators Summit
• The Aviary
• SSC Healthcare
• Rise Institute

Quantifiable outcome

• Average 38% increase in referrals for Club Directors
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HuFriedyGroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Strategic partnership announced April 2026 where HuFriedyGroup provides Seattle Study Club's network of clinicians with instruments, infection prevention solutions, and continuing education resources including hands-on workshops and exclusive educational content. The partnership aims to elevate patient care standards and clinical outcomes.
• Dental Intelligence Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 1 May 2025Partnership in May 2025 to provide Dental Intelligence's analytics tools to Seattle Study Club members. Supports practice revenue growth through data-driven insights.
• Align TechnologycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive Align Discount Program for SSC members including complimentary Invisalign certification ($2,995 value), exclusive member discounts on Align products, enhanced practice efficiencies, and curated education opportunities. Application process with 30-day notification.
• Benco DentalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive supply, service and equipment distribution partner. Founded 1930, nation's largest independent full-service dental distributor. Offers BluChip Buying Club rewards, Painless ordering system, and customized benefits for SSC members.
• StraumannminorGTM or Marketing PartnerImplant solutions partner with Straumann iEXCEL Dental Performance System. Special tuition offers available for SSC members.
• ICON Dental PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnique cohort of high-quality general dentistry and specialty practices in an innovative dental group model.
• The Aurum GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerImplant solutions partner offering quality products, innovation, and comprehensive education. Products include Aurumtek AI-powered full arch workflow, MODJAW jaw morphodynamics, and SIMPLUS+ 3D dentures.
• SolventumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpun off from 3M in April 2024, dedicated healthcare leader. Offers Filtek, Clarity, RelyX, and Scotchbond dental products with special offers for SSC members.
• CareCreditminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare credit card with 8.5 million cardholders. Over 100,000 dental teams accept CareCredit including 85%+ of SSC members. Provides practice development resources.
• Ultradent Products, IncminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive savings for SSC members on dental products. Mission to improve oral health through science, creativity, and education.
• Wonderist AgencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFull-service dental marketing agency based in San Diego. Helps practices with websites, branding, SEO, Google Ads, social media, and funnels.
• Kuraray Noritake Dental, IncminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecial dental products for SSC members. Provider of CLEARFIL, PANAVIA adhesives and KATANA Zirconia, CZR Porcelain for restorative dentistry.
• ZircminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProducts for productivity, organization, and professionalism. Offers mr. thirsty isolation products with free samples for SSC members.
• Salvin Dental SpecialtiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEverything for implant practice. Founded 1981, globally recognized brand in 100+ countries. Offers Oragen bone grafting products. Long-term SSC Symposium exhibitors.
• StellaLifeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVEGA Oral Care for post-surgical pain reduction and healing. Top Healing Product 2019-2022. Live Learning sessions with complimentary recovery kits for members.
• NSK AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld's largest manufacturer of rotary instruments for dental profession. Ti-Max Z99L Buy 2 Get 1 Free offer for members.
• SmileFastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSmile design and trial smile preview. Trained nearly 4,000 dentists in UK, expanding to USA market.
• iADS (International Association of Dental Specialists)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive global network of dental specialists across every discipline. Founded by Dr. Alan Farber, early SSC Director. 350+ members with referral opportunities and mentorship.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Spear Education: Spear Education is a leading dental continuing education provider offering in-person workshops, online courses, and faculty-driven curriculum, directly overlapping with SSC's CE and membership model for practicing dentists.
• The Pankey Institute: Pankey Institute delivers premium dental CE with a philosophy of comprehensive, relationship-based practice, closely comparable to SSC's interdisciplinary treatment-planning focus and member-only learning experiences.
• The Dawson Academy: Dawson Academy offers advanced dental CE centered on functional occlusion and comprehensive dentistry with hands-on courses and study club-adjacent programming, directly overlapping with SSC's clinical mastery curriculum.
• Kois Center: Kois Center provides advanced clinical dental education and is featured within SSC's speaker network, offering comparable hands-on, multi-day CE that competes for the same high-end practitioner audience.

Broad incumbents

• Benco Dental: Benco Dental is SSC's exclusive distribution partner and the largest independent dental distributor in the U.S., with overlapping practice-support content and discounts serving SSC's member audience.
• Academy of General Dentistry (AGD): AGD is the professional association for general dentists and issues the FAGD/MAGD credentials SSC's PACE accreditation targets; it operates parallel CE and membership programs at broader scale.
• American Dental Association (ADA): ADA is the largest U.S. dental professional association and runs the CERP accreditation framework that recognizes SSC as a provider, representing the broadest incumbent in dental CE and membership.
• Patterson Dental: Patterson Dental is a major dental distributor with an education/events arm serving general dentists and specialists, comparable as a broader incumbent in practice-support services overlapping with SSC's offerings.
• Henry Schein: Henry Schein is the largest dental and medical distributor globally with practice-services and educational content for dental teams, overlapping with SSC's partner-ecosystem and member-benefit model.

Emerging players

• Heartland Dental: Heartland Dental is the largest U.S. DSO supporting thousands of dentists; its growth signals continued DSO consolidation that changes how independent CE/membership providers like SSC must position to retain dentist members.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sscconnections

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Seattle Study Club