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DSO People serves as your trusted source for staying current on key personnel movements. In the fast-paced DSO space, understanding who’s who is vital for driving growth and making well-informed business decisions.
In recent months, layoffs have noticeably increased, particularly among vendors in the dental industry. Whether you’re a vendor or part of a DSO team, staying informed about leadership changes within DSOs is essential for success. Keeping track of shifts at the executive and C-suite levels provides valuable insights needed to navigate the evolving landscape and improve performance.
Here is March’s DSO People list:
Image Specialty Partners, which supports over 40 locations across California and Oregon, announced a strategic leadership transition to support its next phase of growth. Dr. Yan Kalika, founder and current Chief Executive Officer, will transition to the role of Executive Chairman. Joel Idelson, a seasoned healthcare and media executive, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. In his new role as Executive Chairman, Dr. Kalika will remain actively involved in ISP’s strategic direction and clinical philosophy while focusing on culture, innovation, provider engagement, and mergers and acquisitions. He will also continue to provide clinical care at Image Orthodontics’ Presidio Heights location in San Francisco.
Mark Musso is promoted to CEO at Specialty Smile Partners. Mark joined Specialty Smile Partners in 2022 and was promoted to President in addition to COO in May 2023. Under Mark’s leadership, SSP has achieved remarkable growth of over 75%, expanding into New York, and adding more practices to the SSP portfolio in Florida and Wisconsin. Prior to joining Specialty Smile, Mark was Chief People Officer and then COO at Hero Practice Services.
Dr. Johanna Tesoniero to Dental Care Alliance as the new Chief Dental Officer for the North Division. She has held key leadership roles including Chief Dental Officer, Associate Dean of Clinical Operations, and Chief Operating Officer across multiple organizations. She is a graduate of NYU College of Dentistry and a Fellow and Master of the Academy of General Dentistry. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Sarasota, FL, Dental Care Alliance supports more than 400 affiliated dental practices in 24 states.
Mimi Godin is promoted to Senior Director, Dental Hygiene & Practice Development at Dentalcorp. She began her career as an RDH and a few years later joined dentalcorp as the Manager of Clinical Development. She has been with the Canadian DSO for five years. Dentalcorp is Canada’s largest network of dental practices and is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario.
Joseph Gordon Cleveland is promoted to Vice President, Marketing at Smile Doctors. Smile Doctors, the largest orthodontic support organization (OSO) in the United States, recently announced the acquisition of myOrthos, an OSO with more than 70 affiliated locations across 13 states. Learn more about the OSO HERE.
Shane Couch was promoted to Supervisor National Support Recruiting at PDS Health. He began with the DSO as Operations Manager six years ago. Founded in 1994, PDS Health is a healthcare support organization that partners with dental and medical providers across the U.S. and is headquartered in Henderson, Nevada.
Women We Admire has named U.S. Oral Surgery Management (USOSM) Chief Operations Officer Alisa Ulrey as a Top COO. Ulrey is ranked number 20 on the organization’s list “Top 50 Women Chief Operating Officers of 2025.” As COO of USOSM, Ulrey oversees daily operations, designs and implements business strategies, sets performance and growth goals, and establishes policies that promote company culture and vision. She is a seasoned executive with more than 30 years of experience shaping two of the nation’s largest Fortune 500 companies.
MAX Surgical Specialty Management (MAX), a surgeon-led support platform for oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) practices, has appointed Dr. Margo J. Freedberg as Medical Director and Dr. Sung Hee Cho as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Freedberg, serving as Medical Director, will develop and oversee MAX’s clinical strategic goals, services and surgical programs. Dr. Cho, who previously served as MAX’s Medical Director and is a co-founding partner of MAX, will lead and mentor new associates and support the academic and industry communities as Chief Medical Officer.
Sandi Synstad has been promoted to Senior Director of Hygiene Development at Lightwave Dental. Based in Woodbridge, VA, the group was founded in 2016 and has 94+ locations across the Mid-Atlantic U.S.
Joshua Arnoldi was promoted to Vice President, Government & Industry Affairs at Kids Dental Brands. The group was founded in 2002 by Dr. Brad Roberts and is now one of the largest Medicaid dentistry providers in the country with 45+ locations.
Sean Epp joined Apex Dental Partners as Senior Vice President Development. Prior to joining the DSO, Seans worked in devleopemnt at Midwest Dental, Rock Dental Brands, and OneSmile, LLC. Apex was founded in 2014 by Dr. Layla Lohmann and Dr. David Lohmann.
Smile Partners USA made the following personnel announcements:
- Nick George was hired as the new Vice President of IT
- Jessica Price was promoted to Brand Marketing Manager
DSO People is sponsored by Fidler and Associates, the premier nationwide advisory and executive search firm specializing exclusively in the multi-site healthcare industry and a proud partner of Group Dentistry Now. From regional managers to C-suite executives, we provide tailored solutions to address our clients’ most critical challenges. With a strategic, client-centric approach, we customize our advisory and recruitment services to meet the unique needs of each organization, ensuring the placement of exceptional leadership resulting in success. Whether you are looking to hire an executive or looking for a new career, please contact Fidler and Associates to discuss your next steps at www.fidlerandassociates.com.
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