It seems like everyone these days is starting a group practice or DSO.  And by now, we all know someone who just sold their business for some ungodly amount of money.  Figure it this way: you’re at 1 location, so you’re only 841 away from being the next Heartland Dental, right? 

I mean, really – how hard can it be?...

Top 3 (not so) Obvious Reasons to Engage TUSK as Your Sell-Side Advisor

As you all know by now, there are more buyers for dental practices in the market than ever before. Additionally, the value of your practice or group is likely as high as it ever has been (and ever will be). And finally, it would shock me if anyone who is reading this blog (and owns a group or large practice) has NOT received an unsolicited offer from a buyer.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (February 21st, 2020)

Perrin DesPortes

TUSK Partners

718-314-0980

Perrin@tusk-partners.com

Manager of Business Development for M&A, Ryan Mingus, joins TUSK Partners

The Company Continues to Expand its M&A Advisory Focus

Charlotte, NC: Today TUSK Partners announced it is adding significant depth to an already strong and talented team with the addition of Ryan Mingus. Mr. Mingus will help to expand the company’s Mergers and Acquisitions Team, which should be immediately impactful in the Sell-Side Advisory service area of the company. The doctor-owned group dental practice space is the fastest growing segment of the industry and TUSK’s sell-side advisory experience has quickly become one of the most sought-after services by the emerging DSO market.

Dad’s Story...

Around 2008, my father, Dr. Ben Cumbus, a pediatric dentist from Montgomery, AL, was looking to sell a portion of his practice to an associate. Leading up to that decision to sell, my father worked diligently as a solo doctor each week for over 30 years to serve our city’s children to meet their oral healthcare needs. Although the practice had a humble beginning in a small office park, he moved the business to its permanent location in a beautiful standalone building with a caboose on the front that served as a waiting room for the kids. Over the years, his team and business grew, and the practice (and the caboose) became a bit of an icon in the city.

Whew – what a year! 2019 was a whirlwind of activity at TUSK and in the DSO economy. We saw a significant amount of change, growth, M&A activity and new entrants into the market that it is hard to keep track of. Before we dive into 2019, let’s reflect on how the year started by looking at how 2018 ended:

- We saw transformational growth of some of the enterprise level DSOs including Heartland and Pacific Dental both adding 100 practices or more and NADG growing the number of affiliated practices by 49% in just one years’ time.  New doctor-founded, debt-funded groups were popping up on our radar regularly.

- Attendance at almost all DSO conferences were up big – interest in the space was growing.

- We were getting a call from a new Private Equity Group interested in the DSO space a couple of times a month.

- At TUSK, we sold more practices than ever before, across all specialties at multiples well above our client’s (and frankly our expectations) and worked with well over 70 groups to help them START, GROW or SELL their practice or group.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (January 17th, 2020)

Kevin Cumbus

TUSK Partners

704-654-0152

Kevin@Tusk-Partners.com

George May, Junior Analyst 

The company adds to its financial and operational strengths. 

Charlotte, NC: Today TUSK Partners announced it is adding significant depth to an already strong and talented team with the addition of George May.  May will help to expand the company’s financial modeling and analytical services, which should be immediately impactful in the areas of M&A, Strategic Consulting, and Partnership Pathways (the three fastest growing segments of the company and the most sought-after services by the emerging DSO market).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 9, 2020

Kevin Cumbus

TUSK Partners

718-314-0980

Kevin@tusk-partners.com

TUSK Partners Releases New Podcast Series

New Content Format Promises to Increase Audience Reach

Charlotte, NC: Today TUSK Partners announced the release of a new Podcast series called “Group Dental Practice Fundamentals,” which addresses the entrepreneurial dentists who are looking to learn more detail about how to grow and exit their business. “Group Dental Practice Fundamentals” complements the company’s educational content-driven marketing strategy and is expected to make an impact in the areas of new audience outreach. The doctor-founded, debt-funded group practice segment is the fastest growing sector of the entire dental economy and the company has earned a reputation for their detail-oriented marketing philosophy.

We are pleased to announce that TUSK Partners was named as one of Axial's Top 25 Lower Middle Market Healthcare M&A  Advisors in 2019.  TUSK Partners is one of the most active M&A Advisors in the Dental Economy and works with dentists, Group Practices and DSOs nationwide.  Today, TUSK Partners represents over $250 million of transactions and continues to see the pipeline grow.  Kevin Cumbus, President | Co-Founder & Managing Director of the M&A Advisory business shared:

"2019 has been a remarkable year for TUSK Partners and all of our clients.  We have been able to achieve exits for our clients that far exceed their expectations and aided in the creation of wonderful partnerships among our clients and buyers in the market.  I am most satisfied with the work we have accomplished with clients who come to us after they have received unsolicited offers from the buy-side.  In every one of these situations, we have been able to bring more buyers to the table, provide our clients better buy-side choices, and driven up the price of their business by an average of 35% and in once case, 56%.  There is no better time to own or sell a practice or group than today." 

I have been in the business of valuing and selling dental practices since 2007. Over that time a lot has changed. 

In 2007, I joined well-established dental practice valuation and transition company. We worked exclusively with dentists to help them establish a value for their business for the purposes of either a 100% sale or for a buy-in from the associate or future partner. Our valuation process was always the same. We would request a stack of documents, including tax returns, P&Ls, historical production and collections reports, and payer by source reports. In return our client would mail us 7-11 inches of paper to wade through. We would pour all of this data into a financial model and turn it into information. Next, we would work with the doctor to establish the net income from the business then perform 7 intricate valuations methodologies and weigh each one based on various qualitative aspects of the business. It was a thorough and rigorous process that took days to complete.

November 12, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This Innovative Solution Promises to be a Major Growth Catalyst for Emerging Group Dental Practices

Charlotte, NC: Today TUSK Partners announced the release of their “Equity Affiliation Strategies” model, which addresses one of the greatest impediments to growth in the emerging group dental practice space: continued access to debt funding. The Equity Affiliation Strategy model complements the company’s philosophy of creating win-win solutions in the emerging group practice space and is expected to make an impact in the area of growth strategy for both acquisition-oriented and startup-based groups. The doctor-founded and debt-funded group practice sector is the fastest growing segment in all of the dental market.