Imagen Dental Partners

Established in 2020 by co-founders Rezwan Manji and Michael Augins, Imagen Dental Partners operates as a Dental Partnership Organization (DPO) based in Scottsdale, Arizona. The company was founded to address what its founders saw as a gap in the consolidating dental industry for a model that supports high-performing, technology-focused dentists who wish to retain clinical autonomy. Manji, the current CEO, brings over 15 years of dental industry experience, notably as the former President of Spear Education, a leading clinical education platform. His background in transforming traditional education into a technology-enabled platform informs Imagen's emphasis on education and growth. Co-founder Michael Augins, who serves as an Executive Board Member, has a background that includes roles as President of Sirona USA and Senior Vice President at Dentsply Sirona, where he managed significant commercial operations and drove technology adoption like CEREC. The company incorporated in April 2020 and brought on its first practice in September of that year.

Imagen Dental Partners operates on a DPO model, which diverges from traditional Dental Support Organizations (DSOs). The core of its business is forming long-term partnerships with existing dental practices, providing them with centralized business support while the dentists maintain clinical control and ownership in their individual practices. This structure is designed for mutual financial success; revenue is generated through a profit-sharing model from its partner practices. Partner dentists are compensated in three primary ways: for the dentistry they perform, a share in their own practice's profitability, and returns from their equity in the larger Imagen organization. Unlike many DSOs backed by private equity with short-term exit strategies, Imagen states it has no institutional capital, focusing instead on long-term growth and value creation for its dentist partners. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of centralized services, including marketing, human resources, IT, billing, and financial planning, which allows clinicians to concentrate on patient care. This support has been shown to improve operational efficiency, with partner practices seeing significant increases in collection rates and revenue.

The company specifically targets successful, technology-forward dental practices, requiring partners to utilize or be willing to adopt tools like CAD/CAM and cone-beam technology. By focusing on this segment, Imagen aims to create a collaborative community of like-minded professionals who share knowledge and best practices. This model also serves as an alternative for independent dentists seeking a succession plan or a way to de-risk their investment without selling entirely to a corporate entity. The company has experienced rapid expansion, growing to over 100 partner practices across several states within its first few years. The growth strategy involves continued partnerships and leveraging data analytics and education to enhance clinical and business performance.

Keywords: Dental Partnership Organization, DPO, dental practice management, dental support, clinician-led, practice ownership, dental technology, CAD/CAM dentistry, Rezwan Manji, Michael Augins, dental practice acquisition, clinical autonomy, dental practice growth, dental support services, peer-to-peer collaboration, dental continuing education, dental group practice, practice succession planning, dental healthcare partners, Scottsdale Arizona