Driven by a highly fragmented market landscape and sustained patient demand for care, the dental industry has emerged as an appealing sector for strategic consolidation and acquisition opportunities in the past five years. According to data captured in the LevinPro HC M&A database, the dental industry represents 48% of the Physician Medical Group sector’s activity, with 219 transactions announced since the start of 2025.
Formed in 2017 and backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, U.S. Oral Surgery Management (USOSM) has crafted a reputation as a dominating force in the dental space. With a presence in more than 30 states, USOSM provides operational, financial and administrative support services to a network of premier oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS) partners. In 2023 and 2024, USOSM partnered with 16 and 20 practices, respectively. In 2025, the company added 16 practices and 26 physicians to its network, cementing its position as a leading OMS consolidator.
The LevinPro HC team sat down with Doug Drew, who began his tenure as CEO of USOSM in July. Drew provided insight into the company’s acquisition strategy as well as other facets of the market.
While USOSM’s sheer volume of acquisitions makes it stand out in the market, it is also known for solely investing in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) practices.
“We focus exclusively on the OMS specialty, which consists of highly trained surgeons performing complex procedures like wisdom teeth removal, implant placement and reconstructive jaw surgery,” said Drew. “Since we’re the first and one of the largest MSOs in the oral and maxillofacial surgery space, we’re very well-known and trusted.”
This singular focus allows the company to be highly selective with whom they partner. Its acquisition strategy allows them to ensure that the practices will fit well under USOSM’s umbrella while the physicians maintain clinical autonomy.
“These are long-term partnerships,” he said. “There’s a cash component, but also an equity component; they become part of our company for the long term. Our surgeons are the majority owners.”
While clinical autonomy for physicians is standard in most dental partnerships, Drew emphasized its crucial role in USOSM’s strategy. He believes that ensuring physicians maintain a sense of control is essential for fostering transparent and mutually beneficial relationships, which allows the partnerships to flourish. Furthermore, Drew cautioned that while some practices seek rapid consolidation, he does not believe speed is a “recipe for long-term success.” Instead, he stressed that taking the time to slow down ensures the right conversations about expectations are held, leading to a much smoother and more effective integration.
Veering away from the more routine aspects of dental partnerships, Drew did not shy away from discussing some challenges facing the OMS market.
Over the summer in two separate transactions, USOSM announced that it was expanding into Utah and Nebraska, both of which USOSM did not have a prior presence. Drew noted that USOSM is not focused on expanding into new territory but rather buying practices that align with the company’s goals regardless of the location. However, the conversation touched on how “dental deserts” in the United States, where access to dental care is sparse, affect a platform’s strategy.
“One of the unique difficulties with integrating OMS practices into ‘dental deserts’ is that OMS care has to exist alongside general and preventative dentistry to make a difference,” said Drew. “Many of our surgeons volunteer and donate their time to underserved communities, but for sustainable solutions, you need public-private partnerships. The economics don’t work for private companies to do it alone.”
Because OMS practices can only operate in areas with existing basic dental care, this can limit USOSM’s reach in specific markets and regions of the country. So, territory may not be at the forefront of their acquisition strategy, it still has a large impact.
Additionally, the One Big Beautiful Bill’s $50 billion fund aimed at improving healthcare in rural communities has underscored the pressing need for care beyond cities and suburban areas.
While Drew and his team are aware of the challenges that this bill and other changing regulations could present, he is primarily focused on a proactive strategy: ensuring his partnerships are equipped with the right tools and resources not only to thrive but to excel. Drew conveyed that since the regulatory environment is constantly in flux, maintaining growth and stability is best achieved by concentrating on providing the highest quality of care.
Throughout the conversation, Drew also touched on the integration of AI into dental practices.
“At this point, AI doesn’t really play a role in the practices we partner with; we don’t expect individual offices to invest heavily in it,” Drew said. He went on to say that it would be unrealistic for small practices to have already invested in AI, since the technology is still a new facet of the industry.
He also mentioned that USOSM is piloting various AI technologies for clinical and operational use, which are expected to benefit their partner practices. This suggests that USOSM is actively pursuing partnerships with practices well-positioned to integrate AI into their daily routines easily.
Looking forward, Drew is optimistic about the dental market.
“With interest rates coming down, everyone’s gearing up for a very busy 2026 in the DSO and MSO space, across both general dentistry and specialties,” he said.
