Supply Chain Has Stabilized. Margins Are Going to Pressure Again. Dental supply shortages that plagued 2021-2023 are over. Patterson, Henry Schein, and Benco all report normalized inventory levels. No more three-week waits for composite or burs. Orders arrive in 3-5 days. That sounds like good news. It's not.

Dental School Enrollment Dropped (More Consolidation Coming). Dental school applicant pools contracted by 7 percent in 2024 admissions cycles. Class sizes across the US shrank. DDS and DMD program admissions are down, meaning fewer dentists graduating in 2026-2027. Why? Debt loads hit $250K-300K per graduate at private schools. Public school

Patient Financing Is Becoming Standard, Not Optional. LendingClub, Sunbit, Affirm, and 12 other fintech platforms all launched or expanded dental lending in Q1 2025. Patient financing options went from "nice to have" to "expected." If you don't offer it, patients go to the practice

The Clear Aligner Market Just Fractured. Invisalign Is Losing Ground. Invisible Braces, SmileDirect, Candid, and six smaller players all claimed 15-20 percent market share growth in March 2025. Invisalign saw flat growth. That's significant. Here's why it matters to you. Clear aligners used to mean Invisalign.

Infection Control Regulations Just Got Stricter (Compliance Costs Are Coming). Several states tightened infection control standards in February 2025, aligning more closely with CDC 2021 guidance. The changes hit instrument handling, surface disinfection protocols, and HVAC standards for operatory airflow. Most practices already comply. Some have loose spots. Here'

Associate Dentist Compensation Is Up 6 Percent (And You're Not Competing). Associate salary ranges went up significantly in February 2025. Reports from FDS and DSO hiring managers show: General dentistry associates: $165K-190K (up from $155K-180K) Specialists (Endo, Perio): $220K-280K (up from $210K-265K) Cosmetic/Implant specialists: $200K-250K (up from

Practice Valuations Hit Record Highs (And You're Timing This Wrong). Private equity and DSO buyers paid record multiples in Q4 2024 and January 2025. EBITDA multiples for group practices crossed 6.5x at the top. Solo practices hit 5.2-5.8x in markets with strong demographics. These are

CBCT Is Mainstream Now. Here's What That Costs You. Cone beam CT adoption crossed 50 percent for general practices in early 2025. Dexis, i-CAT, Carestream, Planmeca all report 20-30 percent unit growth. It's no longer "do you have a CBCT?" It's "