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How many dental practices are owned by DSOs?

Published shares count dentists, not practices: the ADA Health Policy Institute measured 16.1% of U.S. dentists as DSO-affiliated in 2024, while an industry estimate of about 35% consolidated has no disclosed measure, according to DentistryIQ. A count of DSO-affiliated locations from public records is a floor, because the contracts that create most affiliations are private.

By DDSIntel Editorial· Published · Data as of

Key numbers

Why do DSO market-share figures differ?

They divide by different things: dentists, practice locations or revenue. The ADA Health Policy Institute’s 16.1% is a share of dentists, so a large multi-dentist office weighs more than a single-chair one. A share of locations or of revenue from the same market would differ. See the consolidation overview.

Where does the 35% consolidation figure come from?

TUSK Practice Sales cited ADA data as placing the dental industry at roughly 35% consolidated, while DentistryIQ reported that the advisory-firm figure came without a stated measure. The ADA’s own published DSO figure is 16.1% of dentists, so treat 35% as a contested estimate and never as an ADA statistic.

Why can public records only give a floor?

Most DSO affiliations run through a private management contract, and the dentist who owns the practice entity may not change. Public records show licenses, entities, officers and addresses, not the contract, so a count built from them captures only confirmed affiliations. The true figure is at least that high.

The contract is explained in management services agreements. Entity, officer and address changes that often accompany an affiliation are read as corporate signals.

How will DDSIntel count DSO-affiliated locations?

DDSIntel counts a location as DSO-affiliated only when public evidence links it to a DSO and a second source confirms it, then publishes the result as a floor, in aggregate by state and region once each release is signed off. A floor can only rise as new evidence appears.

Method details are in the methodology, and the data hub shows the cited national figures used as benchmarks. For the growth trend, see how fast DSO affiliation is growing.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage of dental practices are owned by DSOs?

No verified practice-level share is published. The ADA Health Policy Institute reports 16.1% of dentists DSO-affiliated in 2024.

Is dentistry 35% consolidated?

About 35% is an industry estimate with an undisclosed measure, per DentistryIQ. It counts something broader than DSO affiliation.

Is private equity ownership the same as DSO affiliation?

No. Private equity affiliation was 12.8% of dentists in 2021 in a Health Affairs study, a narrower measure.

Which DSO share should I cite?

Cite 16.1% of dentists (ADA Health Policy Institute, 2024) and label it a share of dentists. Label any other figure with its source and definition.

What does a floor mean for a DSO count?

Only affiliations confirmed by public evidence are counted, so the real number is at least as high.

Sources

  1. ADA Health Policy Institute. The U.S. Dentist Workforce, 2025 update. ada.org.
  2. ADA Health Policy Institute. Dental practice research (DSO affiliation and practice ownership). ada.org.
  3. DentistryIQ. Is dentistry really 35% consolidated? Let’s check the math (Brian Hanks, Aug. 8, 2026). dentistryiq.com.
  4. TUSK Practice Sales. TUSK Practice Sales Assesses the State of the Dental Industry in Its Q3 2026 Dental Market Report (July 10, 2026). pr.timesenterprise.com.
  5. Health Affairs. Percentage of dentists and dental practices affiliated with private equity nearly doubled, 2015–21. healthaffairs.org.

Questions or corrections: request a correction. Markdown version: /dso/why-dso-counts-differ.md.