JW Practice Advisory Taps Veteran to Scale 'Investment Bank' Model for Healthcare

ATLANTA, GA – January 12, 2026 – JW Practice Advisory, a fast-growing firm aiming to redefine healthcare practice sales, has appointed industry veteran Dave Dahler as Co-Managing Partner. The move pairs Dahler with founder John Wlodarek and signals an aggressive push to scale the firm’s investment-banking-style advisory services on a national level.

Dahler joins the Atlanta-based firm after a distinguished career spanning more than two decades in dental lending, practice sales, and healthcare advisory. His most recent role as Vice President within Bank of America’s Dental Practice Solutions group saw him working closely with Wlodarek, advising dentists on complex acquisitions and capital structures. This pre-existing professional relationship is a cornerstone of the new partnership, built on a shared vision for the future of practice transitions.

“After more than two decades in this space, I was drawn to JW Practice Advisory because of its integrity, sophistication, and momentum,” Dahler stated. “John has built something truly special—an advisory platform that combines the rigor of an investment bank with the care and accessibility of a trusted practice broker. I’m excited to help scale that vision and deliver exceptional outcomes for practice owners nationwide.”

A Strategic Move for National Expansion

The appointment is a calculated step in an ambitious growth strategy. Founded in 2020, JW Practice Advisory has already facilitated over $300 million in transaction volume, a significant achievement that earned it recognition as a 2025 Inc. 5000 honoree. The firm currently operates with a lean team of seven professionals but plans to expand to twelve by the end of 2026, bolstering its analytics and transaction execution capabilities.

Dahler’s extensive background, which includes senior leadership roles as a Vice President of Practice Sales and a Director of Acquisitions, provides a unique trifecta of transactional, financial, and advisory expertise. This experience is seen as critical for navigating the firm’s next phase of growth as it expands its footprint beyond its current client base, which spans nearly every region of the United States.

“I’m thrilled to have Dave join JW Practice Advisory as a partner,” said Wlodarek. “He is a thoughtful, disciplined sales leader with a deep intelligence in practice brokerage and healthcare real estate.” Wlodarek emphasized the timing and strategic fit, adding, “We are building what we believe will soon be the elite practice transitions firm in the country. Dave is the right partner at the right time to help us get there.”

The 'Investment Bank' for Main Street Medicine

JW Practice Advisory's core mission is to professionalize a market historically characterized by fragmented, traditional brokerage models. The firm distinguishes itself by moving beyond the standard practice of valuing a business based on a simple percentage of collections. Instead, it employs a sophisticated, data-driven approach more akin to investment banking, focusing on a deep analysis of cash flow and EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) multiples.

This method provides a more accurate and substantiated valuation, which is crucial in today's increasingly complex market. The rise of private equity and large corporate consolidators like Dental Support Organizations (DSOs) has fundamentally changed the landscape for independent practice owners. These large buyers utilize sophisticated financial metrics to evaluate acquisition targets, and sellers who rely on outdated valuation methods risk leaving significant value on the table.

By offering strategic guidance that extends far beyond a typical sales process, the firm positions itself as a long-term partner. This includes helping owners optimize their practices years before a potential sale to maximize value, navigating complex deal structures, and ensuring a strong cultural and financial fit with a potential buyer. This model directly addresses a growing need among dentists, veterinarians, and other healthcare professionals who are looking to sell their life's work for a price that reflects its true profitability and potential.

Navigating a Market in Transformation

The timing of JW Practice Advisory's expansion coincides with powerful demographic and economic shifts. A significant wave of Baby Boomer practice owners is approaching retirement, creating an unprecedented supply of practices for sale. Simultaneously, the dental and veterinary sectors are undergoing intense consolidation. Corporate entities, backed by private equity, are actively acquiring independent practices to achieve economies of scale.

This consolidation drives up valuations for well-run, technologically advanced practices but also introduces new challenges. Deals are more complex, negotiations are more rigorous, and sellers need expert representation to level the playing field. Furthermore, economic factors such as fluctuating interest rates add another layer of complexity to financing and deal structuring.

Firms like JW Practice Advisory thrive in this environment by providing the specialized expertise required to navigate these dynamics. Their focus on true cash flow analysis and strategic positioning allows sellers to confidently engage with the market's most sophisticated buyers and secure favorable terms. The firm's advisory services help practice owners understand their options, whether selling to another independent practitioner, an associate, or a large corporate group, ensuring the outcome aligns with their personal and financial goals.

A Mission Beyond the Transaction

Underpinning the firm's strategy is a stated commitment to ethics and client outcomes. Wlodarek and Dahler highlight a shared mission: “to help dentists, veterinarians, and future healthcare verticals sell their life’s work for truly life-changing outcomes—while operating in an unbiased, ethical, and relationship-driven manner.”

This philosophy is a direct response to a common anxiety among practice owners, many of whom view the sale of their business as the most significant financial event of their lives. The decision involves not just financial considerations but also a legacy and a commitment to patients and staff. The firm’s emphasis on a relationship-driven approach aims to build the trust necessary to guide clients through what can be an emotionally and financially taxing process.

As JW Practice Advisory expands its team and eyes future healthcare verticals, this combination of high-level financial rigor and a client-centric, ethical mission is its primary value proposition. The partnership between Wlodarek's foundational vision and Dahler's scaling expertise sets the stage for the firm to become a formidable national player in the evolving world of healthcare practice transitions.