Private equity ownership affects dental practices

# Summary Private equity ownership of dental practices nearly doubled between 2015 and 2021, with new research showing that PE-acquired offices increase submitted charges by over 5% within three years while negotiated insurance payments remain unchanged. These practices also shift toward higher-cost procedures like dental implants (46% increase over four years) and are more likely to become multispecialty, though Medicaid participation rates remain stable. PE-owned offices tend to employ younger dentists and operate in less rural, lower-income areas compared to independently owned practices.