A New Specialty Partnership Organization (SPO) Provides Endodontists a New Practice Partner

Terryl Propper, DDS, MS

Former American Association of Endodontists (AAE) President, Dr. Terryl Propper, DDS, MS, has announced the launch of Endodontic Practice Partners (EPP), a newly formed specialty partnership organization (SPO). Based in Nashville, Tennessee, EPP is focused entirely on supporting the unique needs of endodontists.

Like a DSO, they offer business support services and resources so clinicians can focus on clinical skills and patient care. However they differ. They are focused only on supporting the unique needs of endodontists and they focus on advancing their affiliated practices through growth and acquisition in a nationwide network of leading endodontic practices. Unlike a DSO, they are not focused on a single operating template for success. They create personalized strategic, operating, and marketing plans to help each affiliate practice improve services and utilize their current resources more efficiently, while pursuing growth and expansion opportunities.

Each of the partners of the practices that affiliate with EPP will have ownership in the company – they will own equity in our company alongside the founders and private equity sponsors. As the company grows and prospers, they will see growth and success. Partners will have a stake in its growth and strategic direction. Likewise, new associates that meet the highest standards of partnership will have opportunities to buy in to the company and become partners. These standards are related to their clinical quality, patient satisfaction, and ability to think strategically about their practice.

Dr. Terryl Propper, an endodontist, co-founded EPP and will lead the SPO as their Chief Dental Officer. She has a diverse background in all aspects of the dental industry. She practiced with Endodontic Associates of Nashville, for 30 years, and  was CEO and managing partner of a three location group practice with eight doctors. She was an ADA Hillenbrand Fellowship finalist, assistant director of marketing for the ADA, a member of the ADA speaker’s bureau, a proven change agent and past president of the American Association of Endodontists. She is the current president of the Tennessee Dental Association.

“Since serving as president of the AAE in 2016, I have seen rapid changes taking place in the specialty market. Traditional practice models are quickly fading away as retiring practitioners are being replaced by group practices and consolidation across the US. Student debt is influencing young endodontists’ practice choices. EPP is taking the lead to help endodontists adapt to these changes. We provide expertise to endodontists to position them for the best possible clinical, professional, and business success.” -Dr. Terryl Propper, Chief Dental Officer, EPP

More than 5,500 endodontists across the U.S. perform over six million endodontic procedures every year, saving countless natural teeth and relieving patient pain, often in urgent situations. Endodontic Practice Partners was founded to provide world-class business support services to these specialty dentists. Affiliate practices benefit from resources in recruiting, marketing, human resources, group purchasing, insurance negotiation, growth capital and strategic planning, helping them grow their practices; all in a model that is endodontist-owned, endodontist-led and focused on their specialty.

A new company, EPP is in various stages of negotiations with potential affiliates across the country. Currently, they are closing affiliate transactions with six practices and expect to have three times that number completed by the end of the year. The practices that they want to affiliate with meet unique criteria: excellent clinical reputation, dedication to a superb patient experience, great relationships with referral sources, first class patient care and a desire to grow their practice.

Their affiliated practices have a number of full time, part time, partner and associate endodontists – and each practice is growing rapidly.  EPP expects to have opportunities inside these practices for new endodontists to join.

The newly formed SPO, which partnered with River Cities Capital Funds, is currently building out a comprehensive Practice Support Center in Nashville to service the needs of their affiliated practices. They are also in the process of creating a stable of experienced, talented team members to provide affiliated practices with support for marketing, insurance negotiation, HR, and other non-clinical functions.

EPP’s founders have a combined 60 years of clinical and operational experience in the dental and healthcare industries. Along with Dr. Propper, the COO, Sherry Bunce has 20 years in executive positions with various dental groups and Sam Hutcheson, CEO & President has extensive healthcare experience in mergers & acquisitions.


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