Waterplace Dental

What Waterplace Dental does

WaterPlace Dental is a privately held, founder-owned dental practice located in a LEED Platinum-certified building at 500 Liberty Street SE, Suite 300, Salem, Oregon. Founded in 2001 by Dr. Bryan Nakagawa, DMD, the practice delivers general, cosmetic, restorative, and emergency dental care to adults and families in the Salem metropolitan area, with some patients traveling from Portland and Canby. The service portfolio spans preventive care (exams, cleanings, digital x-rays, oral disease susceptibility testing, fluoride, sealants), cosmetic Dentistry (composite fillings, bonding, porcelain crowns, bridges, veneers, dentures, whitening), implant restorations, extractions and periodontal surgery, and adult orthodontics including Invisalign clear aligners and traditional braces.

The practice operates on a direct-to-consumer, fee-for-service model with appointments booked by phone or email; pricing is not publicly disclosed and an Illumitrac-based payment option is offered for uninsured patients. The core technology stack is conventional dental rather than AI-driven, anchored on digital x-rays, oral disease susceptibility testing, and the Invisalign system, supplemented by a LEED Platinum facility built in 2010 using recycled wood and high-efficiency systems. The 8-person team consists of Dr. Nakagawa, a financial coordinator, a clinical manager, a dental hygienist, two dental assistants, and two patient coordinators.

Commercially, the practice relies on organic local marketing across Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, combined with Google and Yelp review management and patient testimonials. Its clinical differentiation rests on individualized risk assessment treatment plans, over 80 hours of annual continuing education per team member, Dr. Nakagawa's graduate and Mentor status at the Kois Center, and an environmental stewardship narrative tied to the LEED Platinum facility. The GTM motion is single-location, consumer-direct, and reputation-driven, with no enterprise contracts, no insurance-network exclusivity, and no disclosed digital booking infrastructure.

Name

Waterplace Dental

Legal name

WaterPlace Dental

Website

https://waterplacedental.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WaterPlace Dental is a privately held, founder-owned dental practice in Salem, Oregon, founded in 2001, that delivers general, cosmetic, restorative, and emergency dental care to adults and families in the Salem metropolitan area using digital x-rays and Invisalign.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

General Dentistry

NAICS

Offices of Dentists (621210)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Preventive & Routine General Dentistry (Exams/Cleanings/Sealants/Fluoride) (HLABAAAA), Restorative General Dentistry (Fillings/Crowns/Bridges) (HLABAAAB)

Keywords

• General dentistry
• Cosmetic dentistry
• Preventive dental care
• Restorative dentistry
• Adult orthodontics

Headquarters

HQ city

Salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dental Services Revenue: Fee-for-service dental care including preventive exams and cleanings, cosmetic procedures (fillings, crowns, veneers, bridges, dentures, whitening), implant restorations, extractions, periodontal surgery, and adult orthodontics (Invisalign and braces). Revenue is generated through one-time procedures and treatments performed during patient visits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Waterplace Dental is a private dental practice in Salem, Oregon that provides comprehensive dental care including cosmetic dentistry (composite fillings, bonding, porcelain crowns, bridges, veneers, dentures, whitening), preventive care (exams, cleanings, digital x-rays, oral disease susceptibility testing, fluoride, sealants), implant restorations, extractions and periodontal surgery, and adult orthodontics (Invisalign and braces). The practice emphasizes a proactive health model built on individualized risk assessment treatment plans rather than reactive repair.

Product overview

Waterplace Dental is a dental practice offering a comprehensive range of dental services as a single unified practice rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The practice provides Cosmetic Dentistry (composite fillings, bonding, porcelain crowns, bridges, veneers, dentures, whitening), Preventive Care (exams, cleanings, digital X-rays, disease testing, fluoride, sealants), Implant Restorations (crowns, bridges, implant-supported dentures), Extractions & Periodontal Surgery, and Adult Orthodontics including Invisalign. The practice also provides patient management through downloadable PDF forms and educational materials on dental procedures. Dr. Bryan Nakagawa serves as the primary dentist, having practiced since 2001 and completed advanced training at the Kois Center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cosmetic Dentistry Services
• Preventive Care Services
• Implant Restoration Services
• Extractions and Periodontal Surgery
• Adult Orthodontics

Quantifiable outcome

• Teeth can last a lifetime with proper diagnosis and treatment

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kois CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Nakagawa is a graduate (2010) and current Mentor of the Kois Center, a globally recognized dental education center. As a Mentor, he helps facilitate case presentations and provides additional support to other dentists who are students of the Kois program. Through this affiliation, he networks with dentists worldwide and implements the latest advances in dental technology and procedures in the practice.
• American Academy of General Dentistry (AGD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional membership organization that recognizes continuing education and professional development in general dentistry. WaterPlace Dental team participates in AGD-affiliated education programs and study clubs.
• American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional membership organization focused on cosmetic dentistry excellence. WaterPlace Dental team participates in AACD-affiliated education and maintains connections with the organization's standards and best practices.
• Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of DentistryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Nakagawa was an assistant clinical instructor in the Prosthodontic Department at OHSU from 2002-2005. He graduated from OHSU School of Dentistry with his DMD in 2001, receiving clinical honors.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Smile Brands: Dental support organization supporting affiliated practices (including brands like Bright Now! Dental and Castle Dental) offering general, cosmetic, and specialty services. Comparable service portfolio but operates at national scale through DSO model.
• Western Dental & Orthodontics: Large dental support organization offering general dentistry, orthodontics (including Invisalign), implants, and cosmetic services across multiple states. Comparable comprehensive service mix but operates at significantly greater scale.
• Heartland Dental: Largest dental support organization (DSO) in the United States, supporting hundreds of general dentistry practices. Comparable in service offering (general, cosmetic, restorative) but vastly larger scale and DSO-supported operations rather than independent ownership.
• Pacific Dental Services (PDS Health): Major dental and medical support organization supporting hundreds of practices across the U.S. Comparable in providing comprehensive general and specialty dentistry, but operates as a DSO backbone rather than an independent owner-operated office.
• Aspen Dental: National DSO-branded dental practice chain offering general, cosmetic, and restorative services with a focus on accessibility and transparent pricing. Comparable core service offering but operates at national scale with DSO infrastructure rather than as an independent single-location practice.
• MB2 Dental: Dental partnership organization that supports hundreds of doctor-led practices across the U.S., preserving dentist ownership while providing back-office support. Comparable in preserving independent practice identity and offering general/cosmetic/restorative services, but provides a potential exit/affiliation pathway for solo practitioners.
• Affordable Dentures & Implants: National DSO focused on dentures, extractions, and implant services. Comparable in offering extractions, implants, and dentures but with a value-oriented positioning rather than a comprehensive preventive/cosmetic model.

Emerging players

• Onsite Dental: Dental practice organization providing on-site and affiliated dental services to employers and patients, with emphasis on preventive and digital-first care. Comparable preventive-care emphasis and digital technology adoption, but operates through employer partnerships rather than as a single retail location.

Regional players

• Willamette Dental Group: Multi-location dental group headquartered in the Pacific Northwest offering preventive, restorative, and specialty dentistry under an integrated care model — directly comparable to WaterPlace's PNW-based, comprehensive-service approach, but operating at significantly greater scale across Oregon and Washington.
• Gentle Dental: Large dental group with multiple Pacific Northwest locations (including Salem, Oregon) providing general dentistry, orthodontics, and cosmetic services. Directly comparable service mix and patient demographic, but operating as a multi-site DSO rather than an independent practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/waterplacedentaldmd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waterplace-dental
• Instagraminstagram.com/drbnakagawa

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Waterplace Dental