Connect the Dents

What Connect the Dents does

Connect the Dents (CTD) is a privately held, founder-owned M&A advisory and business services firm focused exclusively on the dental industry. Founded in 2014 by Dr. Anthony Stefanou, a CBI-certified business intermediary and practicing dentist, the firm is headquartered in New York City and operates with a small team (firmographically 1-10 employees, with ~15 named professionals across leadership, advisory, and business development roles listed publicly). CTD serves three principal customer segments: dental practice owners considering sale or DSO affiliation, dental companies (manufacturers, distributors, service providers) pursuing sell-side or buy-side M&A, and Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) seeking acquisition targets. Its core offerings are advisory-driven rather than software-based: the proprietary OPA (Objective Practice Appraisal) valuation methodology, sell-side and buy-side M&A representation, a DSO matching program, and DSO build/scale advisory.

Revenue is generated through four channels: contingency-based transaction fees on closed M&A engagements, DSO-side referral fees for matched practice sales (the practice owner pays nothing), professional services fees for OPA appraisal reports, and fees from the Dental Sales Academy workshops and CE programs. The firm operates a sales-led, high-touch distribution model with no self-serve or marketplace component — every engagement begins with a confidential 20-30 minute consultation. Demand generation is anchored in the Dentworking Mixer event series at the three largest US dental conferences (GNYDM, Yankee Dental, Chicago Midwinter) and in the Dentworkers Circle membership community. The firm has no external institutional funding and operates as a self-sustaining LLC; deal sizes facilitated to date range from $100K to $25MM+.

Name

Connect the Dents

Legal name

Connect the Dents, LLC

Website

https://connectthedents.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Connect the Dents is a dental-industry-focused M&A advisory firm that provides practice valuations, sell-side and buy-side transaction representation, and DSO matching services to dental practice owners, dental companies, and DSOs, supported by a training and community platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dental M&A Advisory Services

akta.pro primary industry

Federated/Partnership-Model DSOs (Affiliation Networks) (HLABAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Regional/Multi-Region DSO Platforms (Aggregators) (HLABAKAK)

Keywords

• Dental M&A advisory
• Practice valuation services
• DSO matching program
• Dental practice brokerage
• Dental industry consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Sell-Side M&A Advisory / Brokerage: CTD represents dental companies and practice owners looking to sell, assisting with valuation, positioning, buyer identification, negotiation, and deal closure. Revenue is earned as a success fee (contingency) upon transaction close.
2. Buy-Side M&A Advisory: CTD assists companies and entrepreneurs looking to acquire dental businesses through its AMP (Acquisition Matching Program) and target report services. Revenue includes enrollment fees and contingency compensation upon deal completion.
3. DSO Matching Program: CTD matches dental practices with acquiring DSOs. The service is provided at zero cost to the practice owner; the acquiring DSO pays a referral fee for the matched opportunity. This is a contingency-based revenue model.
4. Practice Appraisal / OPA Reports: CTD charges fees for Objective Practice Appraisal (OPA) reports that determine Fair Market Value of dental practices. These reports are used by owners exploring sale or exit strategies.
5. Workshop / Training Programs: CTD offers in-person workshops including 'How to Valuate Dental Practices' and 'How to Sell to Dental Offices & How to Get Business with DSOs'. These are fee-based educational programs for dental professionals and companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Connect the Dents provides M&A advisory, practice valuation, and DSO matching services exclusively to the dental industry. The firm represents dental practice owners and dental companies on both sell-side and buy-side transactions, produces proprietary OPA (Objective Practice Appraisal) reports, and runs a matching program that connects practice owners with acquiring DSOs at no cost to the seller.

Product overview

Connect the Dents is a dental-industry-focused M&A advisory and business services company operating as a network of 'Dentworkers' professionals. The company's offerings center on a core platform of strategic advisory services including sell-side and buy-side M&A brokerage, practice valuation (OPA system), and DSO matching programs. These are supported by an educational arm comprising the Dental Sales Academy, practice valuation workshops, and CE programs. The company also maintains a membership community (Dentworkers Circle) and offers dental company listings, market research reports, and DSO scaling advisory services. The portfolio functions as an integrated service ecosystem rather than a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OPA (Objective Practice Appraisal): A proprietary dental practice valuation system developed by Dr. Tony Stefanou for determining fair market value of dental practices.
• Dental Sales Academy
• Dentworkers Circle
• Dentworker
• Dentworking Mixer

Products and services

• OPA (Objective Practice Appraisal) A proprietary dental practice valuation system developed by founder Dr. Tony Stefanou that determines the true Fair Market Value (FMV) of dental practices — single-location, multi-location, and small group/DSO scenarios. Used by practice owners considering sale or DSO affiliation.
• Sell-Side M&A Advisory Representation of dental companies and practice owners looking to sell, including valuation, preparation, buyer identification, negotiation, and deal closure. Revenue is earned as a contingency success fee upon transaction close.
• DSO Matching Program Structured service that matches dental practice owners with acquiring DSOs based on clinical, cultural, and philosophical alignment. Zero cost to the practice owner; the acquiring DSO pays a referral fee on deal close.
• Buy-Side Brokerage Representation of companies and entrepreneurs seeking to acquire dental businesses, including target identification, AMP enrollment, and acquisition support. Revenue includes enrollment fees and contingency compensation upon deal completion.
• DSO Building & Scaling Advisory Strategic advisory for dental practices and entrepreneurs looking to build, scale, or sell a DSO, including funding, PE partnership introductions, and recapitalization support.
• How to Valuate Dental Practices Workshop A 2-day intensive workshop teaching dental practice valuation methodologies, hosted by Dr. Tony Stefanou. Designed for practice owners and dental professionals.
• Dental Sales Academy / How to Sell to Dental Offices Workshop Sales training program teaching how to sell products and services to dental offices and DSOs; completed by over 30,000 people from 300+ dental companies.
• How to Get Business with DSOs Workshop Workshop focused on strategies for obtaining business relationships with Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) and group practices.
• Dentworkers Circle Application-based professional network and membership community for dental industry professionals ('Dentworkers') working in sales, marketing, management, or service roles.
• Dental Market Research Reports Market research publications providing insights and data on the dental industry.
• CE Programs Continuing education programs for dental professionals.
• Dental Company Listings Listings of dental companies, manufacturers, and practices available for acquisition, including dental manufacturing companies, distributors, and patent/IP opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of DSO-matched deals close at or above the FMV determined by CTD's OPA system
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BMO Capital Markets (Healthcare): BMO Capital Markets' healthcare investment banking group advises on healthcare M&A, including dental services and DSOs, and competes with CTD on larger transactions involving PE-backed dental groups.
• Deloitte (Healthcare M&A): Deloitte's healthcare M&A practice advises large providers, payers, and dental groups on transactions, competing with CTD for enterprise-size dental sell-side and buy-side mandates.
• Cain Brothers: Cain Brothers is a healthcare-focused investment bank providing M&A advisory across providers, payers, and services — including dental services and DSOs — competing with CTD on larger healthcare deals.

Others

• Benco Dental: Benco Dental is a major dental distributor and a CTD training client. As a leading supplier to dental practices, it operates in the same ecosystem but does not offer competing M&A advisory services.
• Patterson Companies: Patterson Companies is one of the two largest dental distributors in North America, serving the same dental practice and DSO customer base that CTD targets. It does not directly offer M&A advisory but operates in the same supply-side dental ecosystem.

Direct peers

• DDSmatch: DDSmatch is a dental-specific M&A advisory and practice transitions firm offering sell-side representation, practice valuations, and DSO matching — directly competing with CTD's core services across both practice owners and DSOs.
• McLerran & Associates: McLerran & Associates provides dental practice appraisals, transitions consulting, and brokerage services — overlapping with CTD's OPA appraisal and practice transitions offerings.
• TUSK Practice Sales: TUSK specializes in dental practice sales, acquisitions, and DSO affiliations across the US. It competes directly with CTD's sell-side advisory and DSO matching programs.
• Paragon Dental Transitions: Paragon is a dental practice transitions and brokerage firm and a former employer of CTD's founder. It provides directly competing dental practice sales, valuations, and buyer-matching services.

Emerging players

• Henry Schein Professional Practice Transitions: Henry Schein's Professional Practice Transitions program leverages the company's distribution relationships with dentists to provide practice sales and brokerage services, overlapping with CTD's sell-side advisory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/connect-the-dents-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Connect the Dents