# How should you approach a dentist about selling a practice? Approach a dentist about a practice only through channels and on terms the owner has agreed to, or through their advisers. Marketing email carries real exposure: the FTC says each violating email can draw penalties of up to $53,088, and opt-outs must be honored within 10 business days ([deal-sourcing guide](https://ddsintel.com/deal-sourcing)). By DDSIntel Editorial Team. Source: DDSIntel, https://ddsintel.com/deal-sourcing/owner-outreach-consent. Published 2026-10-26; data as of 2026-10-25. ## Key numbers - **53,088** US dollars, the maximum penalty for each email that violates the CAN-SPAM Act (FTC, CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide for business, 2026; https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business) - **10** business days to honor a recipient’s opt-out request (FTC, CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide for business, 2026; https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business) - **68.7** was the average age at which U.S. dentists retired (ADA Health Policy Institute, 2024; https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dentist-workforce) - **72.5%** of U.S. dentists were private practice owners (ADA Health Policy Institute, 2023; https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dental-practice-research) ## Why does consent matter in owner outreach? Owners are people with a life’s work, staff and patients. An unsolicited message that implies they are about to sell is intrusive and usually ends the conversation. It can also breach marketing rules. Consent lets an owner raise a hand when ready, and keeps the buyer’s name in good standing locally. DDSIntel keeps [consented and observed signals apart](https://ddsintel.com/glossary/consented). An observed signal never shows that an owner intends to sell. ## What do the email rules require? The FTC’s CAN-SPAM guide lists the requirements: no false header information, no deceptive subject lines, identify the message as an ad, say where you are located, explain how to opt out, honor opt-outs within 10 business days, and monitor others sending on your behalf. Each violating email can draw penalties of up to $53,088. Telemarketing and text rules are separate. Have counsel review each channel and script before use. This is general information, not legal advice. ## How can a buyer reach owners respectfully? Work through the owner’s CPA, attorney or broker where they exist, join local dental societies and meetings, and offer a conversation about succession options rather than an offer. Keep a record of consent and contact preferences, and stop when asked. Patience matters, since the average dentist retired at 68.7. See [off-market dental practices](https://ddsintel.com/deal-sourcing/off-market-dental-practices) for where private deals originate and [public-record checks](https://ddsintel.com/deal-sourcing/public-record-checks-before-loi) for what to confirm once a conversation starts. ## What should an outreach message leave out? Leave out claims that you know the owner plans to sell, references to license or entity changes you spotted, and any pressure on timing. Open with something of value, such as a market view or a succession conversation, and say how you found their contact details. About 72.5% of dentists owned a practice in 2023. The pipeline view is in [building a dental acquisition pipeline](https://ddsintel.com/deal-sourcing/building-a-dental-acquisition-pipeline), and signals are explained in [dental transition signals](https://ddsintel.com/signals). Market figures: [retirement statistics](https://ddsintel.com/data/dentist-retirement-statistics). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is cold-calling a dentist legal? It is regulated, and rules differ by channel and state. Have counsel review before you start. ### Can I email owners I found in a public record? CAN-SPAM still applies to commercial email. Counsel should review sourcing and consent. ### Should a broker make the first contact? Often it helps, as a neutral intermediary. See [working with brokers](https://ddsintel.com/deal-sourcing/working-with-brokers-buyer). ### Can an owner control what is shared about them? Yes. Owners can claim their record and decide who may contact them; see [for practice owners](https://ddsintel.com/owners). ## Sources 1. Federal Trade Commission. CAN-SPAM Act: a compliance guide for business. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business 2. ADA Health Policy Institute. The dentist workforce. https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dentist-workforce 3. ADA Health Policy Institute. Dental practice research. https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dental-practice-research --- DDSIntel is a dental transition intelligence platform that detects pre-market dental practice transition signals for brokers, DSOs, lenders and the firms that serve them.