Today Aspen Dental Management (ADMI) announced it has reached an agreement with Sun Capital Partners, Inc. to acquire ClearChoice Management Services (CCMS), which provides comprehensive practice support services to the nationwide network of ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers. With a current footprint of more than 60 locations, ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers are leaders in fixed, full arch dental restorations for patients with missing or failing dentition.

As one of the largest and fastest-growing healthcare support organizations in the US, ADMI has helped reshape the dental landscape over the past 22 years, supporting the Aspen Dental brand as it has grown into the largest branded network of dental practices in the world. Today Aspen Dental stands at more than 850 locations in 42 states, with a new office opening every four days.

The consistent growth of both Aspen Dental and ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers is reflective of the broad transformation that is happening across the healthcare industry as consumers continue to demand more convenience and better access.

"We’re incredibly excited about bringing together two brands that have a shared commitment to not only delivering dental care that helps restore patients to full function and health, but also creating positive, and often life-changing, patient experiences," said Bob Fontana, chairman and CEO of ADMI. "Today’s news is an important reminder of ADMI’s ability to quickly adapt to shifting market and demographic trends to support dentists as they provide patients with increased access to quality oral health care."

A Growing Segment

Implants are the standard of care for tooth replacement and a key growth area across the dental industry:

• -  An estimated 36 million Americas are missing more than 14 teeth.

• -  Implant-retained fixed, full-arch dental restorations have grown 8% annually since 2016

• -  ClearChoice's growth has outpaced other places with an annual growth rate of over 20% and more than 100,000 smiles restored since its inception in 2005.

ClearChoice has built a network of dental implant centers led by prosthodontists and oral surgeons highly trained in dental implants who strive to deliver best-in-class patient experiences. ClearChoice and Aspen Dental are highly complementary organizations, each serving patients with end-stage periodontal disease, which is associated with a variety of health conditions including edentulism.

"We are excited to be joining forces with ADMI, as the partnership will provide us additional resources, infrastructure, and know-how to more efficiently support the ClearChoice centers and position the network for continued growth and success," said Kevin Mosher, CEO of CCMS.

The two organizations will focus on collaboration in areas where it will enhance patient care and the patient experience, as well as drive value for Aspen Dental and ClearChoice practices and practice owners.

"As a support organization, ADMI continues to build and strengthen the infrastructure, expertise, and core competencies that successful consumer healthcare brands need to accelerate their growth and fuel their success, while also giving providers the freedom to do what they do best: care for their patients," Fontana added.

Subject to regulatory and other customary closing conditions, the acquisition is expected to close by the end of 2020.