5 States With the Most DSO Activity in May 2026

BECKER’S DENTAL REVIEW June 5, 2026
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AI-Generated Summary

Becker’s Dental Review’s May 2026 roundup identifies several states with notable DSO activity, led by Arizona, Colorado, New York, and Texas. In Arizona, PDS Health opened a new Marketplace Dentistry location in Buckeye while Lone Peak Dental Group acquired AZ Family & Kid’s Dental in Phoenix; in Colorado, Apex Dental Partners affiliated with five practices and SALT Dental Partners opened a new pediatric location in Denver. U.S. Oral Surgery Management added Hudson Valley Oral Surgery as a partner practice in New York, and Texas saw the most movement, with PDS Health, Phase 1 Equity, and Aspen Dental each adding locations. The roundup notes the list is not exhaustive but illustrates where DSO de novo and affiliation activity concentrated last month.

Why It Matters

State-level DSO expansion data helps multi-site operators and PE-backed platforms benchmark competitor footprint and identify underserved markets before committing capital to their own de novo or affiliation strategy.

DSO expansion dental de novo practice affiliation multi-state DSO activity dental M&A

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Frequently asked questions

Which states had the most DSO activity in May 2026?

Becker’s Dental Review’s May 2026 roundup highlighted Arizona, Colorado, New York, and Texas as states with the most DSO moves, including practice openings, acquisitions, and new affiliations from groups such as PDS Health, Lone Peak Dental Group, Apex Dental Partners, SALT Dental Partners, Phase 1 Equity, and Aspen Dental.

What kind of DSO expansion happened in Texas in May 2026?

In Texas, PDS Health, Phase 1 Equity, and Aspen Dental each added new locations, making it one of the most active states for DSO expansion that month.

What’s the difference between a DSO acquisition and an affiliation move?

An acquisition involves a DSO directly purchasing an existing practice, as Lone Peak Dental Group did with AZ Family & Kid’s Dental in Phoenix. An affiliation is a looser partnership model, such as Apex Dental Partners affiliating with five independent Colorado practices while they retain more operational autonomy.

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