Aspen Dental Opens in SC Boomtown, Highlighting New Care Models

TRAVELERS REST, SC – July 16, 2026 – Aspen Dental today opened its newest practice in Travelers Rest, a move that brings a nationally recognized brand to one of South Carolina’s fastest-growing communities and highlights a profound shift in the American dental care landscape. The new office, situated in the Roe Center Court, promises to expand access to comprehensive dental services for a population that has dramatically outpaced the availability of local healthcare providers.

Led by practice owner Dr. Jebediah Christy, a veteran of the Aspen Dental network since 2007, and managing clinical director Dr. Trevor Haas, the clinic enters a market defined by rapid growth and a documented shortage of dental professionals. The opening underscores a key strategy for its parent company, The Aspen Group (TAG), which focuses on deploying its extensive resources in high-growth suburban and rural areas where demand for healthcare often exceeds supply.

Addressing a Growing Community’s Needs

Travelers Rest is the archetype of the communities Aspen Dental is targeting. The city’s population surged by an astonishing 70 percent between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, and it continues to grow at a brisk pace. This boom, part of a wider expansion across Greenville County—now the most populous in South Carolina—has placed significant strain on public infrastructure, including healthcare.

State-level data paints a stark picture of the challenge. According to the South Carolina Office for Healthcare Workforce's 2024 Health Professions Data Book, the state has only about 52 practicing dentists for every 100,000 residents. This shortage has tangible consequences: CDC data reveals that 35 percent of South Carolina adults had not visited a dentist in the past year, a statistic that points to significant barriers to care.

Aspen Dental executives frame the new location as a direct response to this gap. “Access to dental care starts with proximity, whether a patient can get an appointment somewhere near where they live and work,” said Dr. Arwinder Judge, Chief Clinical Officer at Aspen Dental. “In growing communities like Travelers Rest, that access hasn't always kept pace with population growth. Opening here means patients spend less time traveling and more time getting the preventive and restorative care that keeps small problems from becoming bigger ones.”

For residents, the new practice offers a one-stop shop for services ranging from routine cleanings and emergency dentistry to more complex procedures like implants, oral surgery, and the company’s proprietary Motto™ Clear Aligners. Dr. Christy emphasized a commitment to building local trust. "Whether a patient is here for a routine cleaning, an urgent toothache or finally ready to address a bigger concern, our goal is to make that first visit easy to understand, easy to afford and easy to schedule again," he stated.

The DSO Model: A New Blueprint for Dental Care

The Travelers Rest office is more than just a new local clinic; it’s a node in a vast and influential network. Aspen Dental operates as a Dental Support Organization (DSO), a business model that has become a dominant force in the industry. Under this structure, the parent company, TAG, handles the non-clinical aspects of the business—marketing, human resources, IT, supply chain, and financial services. This support allows dentists who own their practices, like Dr. Christy, to focus primarily on patient care.

With nearly 1,100 locations nationwide, the scale of the operation is immense. Lori D'Anna, President of Field Operations at Aspen Dental, described the company's philosophy: "By pairing innovative technology with the support doctors need to build successful practices, we're helping expand access to modern, high-quality dental care in communities like Travelers Rest." This model enables rapid expansion and standardization of services, allowing the organization to enter underserved markets with a full suite of modern dental technology and operational efficiencies that a small independent practice might struggle to afford.

The DSO model represents one of the most significant transformations in healthcare delivery, shifting from a landscape of siloed, small-business practitioners to one increasingly shaped by corporate-backed networks. Proponents argue that DSOs bring economies of scale that can lower costs, expand access, and provide career opportunities for dentists without the burden of managing a small business. The practice ownership program offered by the company, for instance, provides a pathway for dentists to become owners within its supported ecosystem.

Promises of Accessibility vs. Patient Realities

Central to the brand’s public-facing mission is the promise of breaking down barriers to care. The new Travelers Rest office embodies this with features designed for modern convenience: walk-in availability, extended Monday hours until 6 p.m., and same-day appointments for dental emergencies.

Perhaps the most significant barrier the company seeks to address is cost. The office accepts most major insurance plans and offers a dizzying array of third-party financing options through partners like CareCredit, Klarna, and Afterpay, claiming a 99% approval rate for applicants. For the uninsured, it offers an in-house savings plan. This financial flexibility is designed to make comprehensive, and often expensive, treatment plans attainable for a broader segment of the population.

However, the corporate model is not without its critics. While the company promotes affordability and patient-centric care, a significant volume of online patient reviews from across the country tells a more complicated story. A recurring theme in complaints filed with consumer watchdog groups and on public forums involves allegations of aggressive upselling and a lack of transparency in pricing. Some former patients have described feeling pressured into expensive, all-encompassing treatment plans, characterizing the experience as a high-pressure sales environment rather than a collaborative healthcare consultation.

These criticisms highlight the inherent tension within the DSO model: balancing the corporate mandate for growth and profitability with the professional and ethical obligations of patient care. While the centralized support system can empower clinicians, it can also create pressure to meet financial targets. The experiences of some patients suggest that this pressure can sometimes lead to a focus on high-margin procedures over more conservative treatment options.

As the doors open in Travelers Rest, the new Aspen Dental practice arrives as a powerful new force in the local healthcare market. It offers a clear solution to a verified community need, bringing comprehensive services and financial accessibility to a region that desperately needs more providers. For residents of northern Greenville County, it represents a convenient and modern option for dental care that was previously out of reach for many. At the same time, it introduces a business model that continues to be a subject of intense debate within the healthcare industry, posing fundamental questions about the future of patient care in an increasingly corporatized world.