Modern Dental

What Modern Dental does

Modern Dental is a privately owned, founder-operated dental practice founded in 2009 by Dr. Phillip Palella and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The practice operates three physical offices — Modern Dental on Division (Wicker Park/Ukrainian Village), Modern Dental of Logan Square, and Modern Dental on Clark Street (River North) — and delivers comprehensive dental services including diagnosis and prevention, restorative dentistry, periodontal treatment, oral surgery, endodontics, cosmetic dentistry, clear aligner orthodontics (Invisalign/ClearCorrect), appliances, and same-day emergency care. Service delivery is supported by six dentists with credentials from Harvard School of Dental Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, and University of Detroit Mercy, and by digital clinical technology including digital X-rays, intraoral photography, zirconia and Emax metal-free restorations, and mercury-free composite fillings.

The business model is a fee-for-service dental practice reimbursed through PPO insurance networks and patient out-of-pocket payments. Modern Dental is in-network with most major PPO carriers (MetLife, Aetna, GEHA, Cigna, BCBS, and Delta Dental Premier) and files claims on behalf of patients while explicitly declining HMO, Medicaid, and CountyCare plans. The practice supplements insurance revenue with cash-pay cosmetic procedures and CareCredit patient financing (including no-interest terms up to 24 months), and acquires patients via SEO-optimized web presence, online booking through NexHealth, organic social on Instagram, patient testimonials, and walk-in/phone inquiries. Patient access is widened through extended hours (Monday–Thursday 8 AM–6 PM; Friday–Saturday 8 AM–2 PM), three locations anchored near CTA transit, and online pre-visit paperwork through Ident.ws.

The practice is a sole proprietorship free from corporate or private equity ownership, positioning patient relationships and continuity of care as central differentiators against corporate dental groups. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the company has no institutional funding, parent entity, subsidiaries, or M&A history. Strategic emphasis is on stable, multi-location operation in Chicago neighborhoods rather than rapid scaling, with operational technology limited to standard dental practice digital infrastructure (NexHealth, Demandforce, Ident.ws) and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities.

Name

Modern Dental

Legal name

Modern Dental

Website

https://moderndentalchicago.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Modern Dental is a privately owned, founder-operated Chicago dental practice operating three offices (Wicker Park, Logan Square, River North) that delivers general, cosmetic, restorative, surgical, endodontic, and orthodontic care to PPO-insured and cash-pay patients across the Chicago metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

General Dentistry Services

NAICS

Offices of Dentists (621210)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Family Dentistry (Multi-Disciplinary In-Office General Care) (HLABAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Dentistry Group Practices (HLABAKAB), Cosmetic & Esthetic Dentistry (Veneers/Whitening/Bonding) (HLABAAAC), Restorative General Dentistry (Fillings/Crowns/Bridges) (HLABAAAB)

Keywords

• General dentistry services
• Cosmetic dental procedures
• Restorative dental care
• Orthodontic clear aligners
• Emergency dental treatments

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dental Services Revenue: One-time and recurring dental procedures including routine cleanings, exams, cosmetic procedures, restorative treatments, oral surgery, and orthodontics. Revenue is generated through insurance claims (for in-network services), patient copays, and out-of-pocket payments for uninsured services and cosmetic procedures not covered by insurance.
2. Insurance Reimbursements: In-network provider status with major PPO insurance companies generates revenue through insurance claim filings. The practice files claims on behalf of patients and receives reimbursements according to contracted fee schedules. This represents a significant portion of practice revenue.
3. Financing Services: The practice accepts CareCredit financing, allowing patients to pay for treatments over time. Some patients qualify for no-interest financing up to 24 months. This extends the practice's addressable market to patients who cannot pay full costs upfront.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Modern Dental is a privately owned, multi-location dental practice that provides comprehensive general, cosmetic, restorative, surgical, endodontic, periodontal, orthodontic, and emergency dental services to individual patients. It sells procedures such as cleanings, fillings, crowns and bridges, veneers, whitening, extractions, root canals, implants, Invisalign/ClearCorrect aligners, and custom appliances, delivered by a six-dentist team across three Chicago offices.

Product overview

Modern Dental is a privately owned dental practice offering comprehensive dental services across three Chicago locations (Division, Logan Square, and Clark Street). The practice operates as a unified service portfolio rather than a modular platform, providing Diagnosis and Prevention, Restorative Dentistry, Periodontal Treatment, Oral Surgery, Endodontics, Cosmetic Dentistry, Appliances (including Invisalign), and Emergency Treatments. All services are delivered by a team of six dentists with a focus on personalized, patient-centered care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Diagnosis and Prevention
• Restorative Dentistry
• Periodontal Treatment
• Oral Surgery
• Endodontics
• Cosmetic Dentistry
• Appliances
• Emergency Dental Treatments

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• SmileDirectClub: Direct-to-consumer clear aligner brand competing with the Invisalign/clear aligner service Modern Dental offers in-office. Comparable as a competing channel for orthodontic patients, though SmileDirectClub's model is DTC mail-order rather than in-practice.

Direct peers

• Great Expressions Dental Centers: Multi-location DSO operating general and specialty dental offices with broad PPO insurance coverage. Comparable to Modern Dental in broad service offering and insured patient base, operating at greater scale from a corporate parent.
• Pacific Dental Services: Large DSO supporting hundreds of offices with general, cosmetic, and specialty services plus integrated clinical technology. Comparable to Modern Dental on service mix and PPO insurance participation, with the key difference being PDS's DSO scale and Modern Dental's independent model.
• Heartland Dental: The largest US DSO supporting hundreds of general dental offices across the country. Closely comparable as a multi-location general dentistry platform serving insured patients, differentiated primarily by its DSO affiliation and scale vs. Modern Dental's independent ownership.
• Western Dental & Orthodontics: Multi-location dental services company with strong presence in California and other western states, offering general dentistry, orthodontics, and specialty services. Comparable service portfolio and insurance-driven model, though it operates in different geographies.
• Smile Brands: DSO supporting hundreds of affiliated general dental practices across multiple US states with broad insurance networks. Comparable to Modern Dental in service mix and insurance-driven patient acquisition model, but executed at multi-state scale.
• Dental Care Alliance: DSO supporting general, cosmetic, and specialty dental practices primarily in the eastern and central US. Directly comparable to Modern Dental as a multi-location general dentistry operator, distinguished by DSO ownership.
• Aspen Dental: One of the largest DSOs in the US with hundreds of branded offices providing general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. Comparable to Modern Dental as a multi-location general dentistry operator serving insured consumers, though operated at vastly greater scale and under corporate ownership.
• Affordable Dentures & Implants: Multi-location dental provider focused on dentures, extractions, and implants. Comparable to Modern Dental as a multi-location, insurance-friendly dental services operator, with a narrower specialty focus.
• Mortenson Dental Partners: Large dentist-led DSO with a portfolio of community dental practices across multiple states. Comparable to Modern Dental in offering general, cosmetic, and specialty services with PPO insurance participation, while operating at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/modern_dental
• Facebookfacebook.com/moderndentalondivision

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Modern Dental