Thurston Group Forges Dental Super-Platform with SGA, Gen4, and Modis Merger

SAVANNAH, GA – June 16, 2026 – In a move that signals a new chapter of consolidation in the American dental industry, private equity firm Thurston Group today announced the unification of three distinct dental support organizations—SGA Dental Partners, Gen4 Dental Partners, and Modis Dental Partners. The combined entity, which will operate under the SGA Dental Partners banner, instantly becomes one of the nation’s largest dental support platforms, comprising over 250 locations and more than 500 dentists across 26 states.

This merger is more than a simple roll-up; it represents the strategic assembly of a diversified powerhouse designed to compete on a national scale. By integrating the unique strengths of each organization, Thurston Group is betting it can create a durable, high-performance model that sets a new industry standard for supporting doctor-led clinical care.

A New Powerhouse in a Consolidating Market

The formation of the new SGA Dental Partners is a landmark event in an industry already undergoing rapid transformation. The dental sector, long characterized by independent, single-owner practices, has seen a dramatic shift toward consolidation. Today, an estimated 20-25% of U.S. dental practices are affiliated with a Dental Support Organization (DSO), and some analysts project that figure could climb as high as 70% within the next five years. Private equity has been the primary engine of this change, drawn to the sector's recession-resistant fundamentals.

Thurston Group is no stranger to this landscape. The Chicago-based firm has a long track record of building and scaling healthcare platforms, with a particular focus on supporting doctor-led models. This merger, backed by a reported $700 million in debt financing, is the culmination of its strategy to build category-defining organizations.

"Across every industry where Thurston Group invests, we look for the same things: exceptional management teams, durable business models, and organizations that make the professionals they serve better," said Patrick J. Haynes III, Founder of Thurston Group. "This combination checks every box. Uniting SGA, Gen4, and Modis creates one of the most compelling platforms we have ever been part of building."

While the combined entity is now positioned as a top-10 DSO by size, the market remains highly fragmented. This move, however, creates a formidable competitor whose integrated capabilities could pressure other DSOs to re-evaluate their own strategies for growth and service diversification.

The Anatomy of a Super-Platform

What makes this new entity particularly noteworthy is not just its scale, but the complementary nature of its constituent parts. Thurston Group has effectively bolted together three best-in-class operators, each excelling in a different pillar of the DSO support model.

• SGA Dental Partners, the entity lending its name to the new platform, brings a proven engine for doctor recruiting and practice growth. The organization boasts a track record of more than four consecutive years of quarterly same-store-sales growth, underpinned by a data-driven model for scaling high-performing affiliated practices.
• Gen4 Dental Partners contributes a differentiated system for professional development, centered on systematic mentorship and peer-led coaching. This focus is crucial for attracting and retaining clinical talent in a competitive market.
• Modis Dental Partners adds advanced capabilities in specialty services, particularly patient-centered implant dentistry. This specialization allows the platform to support licensed clinicians in expanding their service lines to meet growing patient demand for complex procedures like full-arch restorations.

"Dentistry rewards organizations that put doctors first," noted Dan Davis, Managing Partner at Thurston Group. "SGA, Gen4, and Modis are each industry-leading across that support model, and their strengths fit together in a powerfully complementary way. Combined under one platform, they have everything required to compete and win nationally."

The integrated organization will be led by a unified team drawing from all three companies, with Jordan DiNola as Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Kyle Hollis as Chief Clinical Officer, and Myles McAllister as Chief Operating Officer.

"SGA was built on a simple principle: partner with the right doctors in the right markets with the right infrastructure behind them, and growth follows," said DiNola. "Combining forces with Gen4 and Modis takes that model further... With Thurston's backing, we believe we now have the scale, the team, and the systems to execute as a support organization at a level very few organizations in this industry can match."

The View From the Dentist's Chair

For the more than 500 dentists in the new organization, the merger promises a robust support system designed to foster professional and financial growth. The platform touts an impressive doctor retention rate exceeding 90% and claims average general practitioner compensation is "close to double the national average." While difficult to verify independently, such a figure would place compensation in the $350,000-$450,000 range, a significant draw compared to the national median wage for dentists, which hovers below $200,000.

Leaders from the acquired entities echoed this focus on doctor-centric growth. "The collaborative culture we've built through our mentoring programs impacts our doctors every day," said Dr. Mitch Ellingson of Gen4 Dental Partners. "Coming together with SGA and Modis means we now have the opportunity to support the growth of a national platform."

Dr. Grant Olson of Modis Dental Partners highlighted the benefits for specialized care: "Coming together with SGA and Gen4 gives us the geographic reach and operational infrastructure to support that standard of care across the country."

Yet, with any large-scale consolidation comes the persistent question of clinical autonomy. The new SGA is branded as "dentist-owned and dentist-led," a positioning clearly intended to assuage fears of corporate overreach. The American Dental Association's code of ethics holds that treatment planning is the sole purview of the dentist, a principle DSOs are legally bound to respect by providing administrative, not clinical, direction. The challenge for the new SGA will be to prove that its vast, centralized support system enhances, rather than constrains, the clinical judgment of its practitioners.

Reshaping the Patient Experience

Ultimately, the success of this super-platform will be measured by its impact on patients. The company's playbook aims to leverage its scale to deliver a modern, efficient, and high-quality care experience. By centralizing administrative burdens like billing, marketing, and HR, the model frees up clinicians to focus on patient care. The integration of Modis's specialty in implantology means more patients may have access to advanced procedures within a single, integrated network.

However, the rise of large, private equity-backed healthcare providers is not without scrutiny. Some studies have suggested that such ownership can lead to a focus on higher-reimbursement procedures, potentially driving up costs for patients. The key will be whether SGA can standardize excellence and expand access—particularly as PE-affiliated practices are often more likely to accept Medicaid—without sacrificing the personalized touch that builds lasting patient trust.

As SGA Dental Partners steps onto the national stage, it carries the ambition of its backers and the collective strengths of its legacy organizations. Its journey will be a critical case study in whether scale, synergy, and a doctor-centric philosophy can truly create a more permanent and high-performing model for the future of American dentistry.