DENTALDEX
For buyers List my practice

Make a better decision about your dental practice.

Understand what your practice may be worth, see which buyers fit, compare offers side by side, and decide whether selling is right for you.

I'm a dentist selling I'm a DSO buying
Clear termsevery fee disclosed before you list, no surprises
4.0–9.0x2026 DSO EBITDA multiple range
NDA-gatedyour identity stays private until you approve a buyer

Price my practice

Free · no sign-up · 2026 multiples
Estimated EBITDA
$324,000
18% margin on $1.8M collections
Estimated private-buyer range
$1.08M – $1.44M
60% – 80% of collections, the basis lenders and brokers commonly use for a dentist-to-dentist sale
DSO enterprise value range
$1.30M – $2.11M
4.0x – 6.5x EBITDA · single-location general dentistry, 1–2 year transition
Enterprise value is not the same as cash at closing. DSO offers typically split the price between cash, rollover equity, earn-outs, and holdbacks, and often depend on the owner staying on.
Cash at closing typically 60–80%Rollover equity 15–30%Earn-out and holdback 5–15%
Illustrative structure from published 2026 commentary; see methodology. Compare two real offers.
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Want the full breakdown with adjusted-EBITDA add-backs and how offers are typically structured?

Get my detailed valuation report
Confidential by defaultlistings show region, type, and revenue band only
Buyer verificationbuyers confirm identity before seeing any practice
Seller-controlled disclosureyou decide which buyers learn who you are
Side-by-side offer comparisonevery offer presented in one standard format

How much does a DSO pay for a dental practice?

In 2026, DSOs pay 4.0x to 9.0x adjusted EBITDA for a dental practice. A single-location general practice with $300,000 to $700,000 of EBITDA usually lands at 4.0x to 6.5x. Multi-location groups, specialty practices, and practices above $1M EBITDA command 6.5x to 9.0x or more.

The multiple is driven by scale, specialty, provider dependence, hygiene retention, and how long the owner agrees to stay. A private dentist buying with an SBA or bank loan is usually priced on collections, commonly 60% to 80%, and constrained by what a lender will finance, which is why the same practice can sometimes command a materially higher enterprise value from a DSO than from an individual buyer.

Read the full guide: How much is my dental practice worth to a DSO?

Typical 2026 DSO EBITDA multiples by practice profile
Practice profileAdjusted EBITDATypical multiple
Single-location general, owner-dependent$250K – $500K4.0x – 5.5x
Single-location general, associate-supported$500K – $1M5.0x – 6.5x
Pediatric, ortho, or periodontal specialty$500K – $1.5M5.5x – 7.5x
Oral surgery or endodontics$750K – $2M6.0x – 8.0x
Multi-location group (2–5 sites)$1M – $3M6.5x – 8.5x
Platform group (5+ sites, $3M+ EBITDA)$3M+8.0x – 9.0x+
Private dentist-to-dentist sale (any profile)—60% – 80% of collections

Why should the seller have representation?

Because the buyer already does. Every DSO that makes an offer has a corporate development team, an underwriting model and standard documents written in its favor. Most selling dentists are doing this once, with a CPA who has seen a handful of deals and an attorney who may never have read an earn-out.

DentalDex works for the selling dentist. That means normalizing your EBITDA before a buyer does it for you, putting your practice in front of buyers whose stated criteria fit, and laying every offer out in the same format so the comparison is about what you receive, not the headline multiple. All terms are disclosed in writing before you list.

See how DexCompare lays out competing offers.

What the buyer's side brings, and what the seller's side needs
The buyer hasThe seller needs
An underwriting model that prices provider dependence, hygiene and payer mixThe same analysis run first, from the seller's side
A template LOI that puts price in the headline and structure in the fine printEvery offer restated as cash, rollover, earn-out, holdback, comp and tenure
A pipeline of practices to compare yours againstA pipeline of buyers whose criteria fit, competing for the practice
Experience across dozens of closingsSomeone at the table who has seen how the last thirty ended

What DSO offers look like once you take them apart

Fictionalized deals, walked line by line. Each one shows why the headline multiple told the seller less than the structure did.

Why a 7x DSO Offer Lost to a 6.5x Offer

A fictionalized deal teardown: two DSO offers on a $700K EBITDA general practice. The higher multiple lost once cash at closing, rollover, earn-out, doctor compensation and tenure were laid side by side.

Deal teardown

All teardowns · Compare two offers of your own

Who does DentalDex work for?

DentalDex works for the selling dentist. Registered DSOs and dental groups participate as verified buyers: they receive matching practices, agree to platform terms, and compete for the seller's attention on the seller's terms.

For dentists selling a practice

List confidentially. Compare qualified buyers on your terms.

The buyer has an acquisition team. You should have someone representing you.

  • Free instant valuation range benchmarked against current DSO market multiples
  • Listing shows region, type, and revenue band only until you approve a buyer
  • Standardized adjusted-EBITDA package so every buyer prices the same numbers
  • Free exit-planning tools: DSO Compatibility Index and Provider Dependency Risk Estimator
  • All terms disclosed in writing before you list
Start a confidential listing
For DSOs and dental groups buying

Direct access to qualified dental practice opportunities.

  • Every listing includes a normalized EBITDA disclosure and three-year collections trend
  • Filter by state, metro, specialty, operatory count, and EBITDA band
  • Sellers have already stated transition preferences and earn-out tolerance
  • Receive anonymous practice teasers matching your criteria by email, then request the full package under NDA
  • Buyer terms provided during verification
Register to receive matching practices

How does selling a dental practice on DentalDex work?

Selling takes four steps and typically 4 to 7 months from listing to closing. Most of that time is the buyer's 60 to 90 day due-diligence period, which is the same on any route.

  1. Price itRun the free valuation, then upload a P&L and tax returns for a normalized adjusted-EBITDA package. 1–2 weeks.
  2. List itYour anonymized listing goes live to verified buyers. You approve who sees your identity. Buyers sign an NDA first.
  3. Compare offersReceive LOIs in a standard format: price, cash at close, equity roll, earn-out, and your required tenure, side by side. 4–8 weeks.
  4. CloseDue diligence, definitive agreement, and closing with your own attorney and CPA. 60–120 days. Your terms were set before you listed.

What free tools does DentalDex give dentists?

Four free tools cover the questions dentists ask before selling: what the practice is worth, how much of that value depends on the owner staying, which buyers would fit, and how ready the practice is to go to market. None require an account.

ToolWhat it tells you
Price My PracticeAdjusted EBITDA (with an add-back estimator), a private-buyer range at 60–80% of collections, and a DSO range at 4.0x–9.0x based on collections, margin, type, operatories, and transition plan.
DSO Compatibility IndexA 10-question diagnostic scoring fit with regional, national multi-location, and specialty DSO buying criteria.
Provider Dependency Risk EstimatorHow much your valuation drops if you exit at closing versus staying 3 years, based on your share of production.
Sale Readiness ScoreA 16-question read on how ready your practice is to go to market, with strengths, issues, and the three actions most likely to raise your score.

Common questions about selling a dental practice to a DSO

Short answers to the questions dentists ask most. The full FAQ covers earn-outs, equity rollovers, tax treatment, and what DSOs look for in hygiene retention.

How long does it take to sell a dental practice to a DSO?

Typically 4 to 7 months: 2–4 weeks to prepare financials, 4–8 weeks to receive and negotiate LOIs, 60–90 days of due diligence, and 2–4 weeks for definitive agreements and closing.

Do I have to keep working after selling to a DSO?

Usually yes. Most DSO offers require the selling dentist to stay 2 to 5 years as an associate, and the price often depends on it. A dentist who exits at closing should expect a materially lower valuation, more of the price shifted into an earn-out, or both.

What is adjusted EBITDA for a dental practice?

Net operating profit before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, with owner-specific expenses added back and a market-rate replacement salary for the owner-dentist subtracted. Typical add-backs: above-market owner pay, personal vehicle and travel, family payroll, one-time legal or equipment costs, and above-market rent to an owner-controlled entity.

Can I list my practice confidentially?

Yes. Listings show region, practice type, revenue band, and EBITDA band only. Your practice name, address, and identity are released only to verified buyers you approve, after they sign an NDA.

Is the valuation calculator accurate?

It produces a range, not an appraisal. It applies current DSO multiples to your stated EBITDA margin. The detailed report normalizes EBITDA from your actual P&L, which commonly moves the number by a meaningful amount in either direction.