In this episode of Office Hours, Justin Marti sits down with Kevin McGonigal, co-owner of the DDSmatch Northeast team, to break down why so many dental practice deals stall, unravel, or die before the finish line. With 20 years of dental industry experience, Kevin has seen the full lifecycle of a practice, from startup and buildout to scale and exit, giving him a uniquely practical view of what makes a transition succeed. The conversation goes beyond valuation headlines and digs into the real issues that shape outcomes: emotion, confidentiality, staff stability, timing, and preparation. For dental practice owners weighing a sale, considering a DSO offer, or simply trying to preserve optionality, this episode is packed with practical guidance.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why the hardest part of selling a dental practice is rarely finding a buyer
• How DIY sales break down and what to do about it
• Why confidentiality and staff stability can directly impact goodwill and deal value
• How early planning creates more control over buyer fit, timing, and exit options
• What practice owners should do before reacting to unsolicited DSO offers

[00:00] Intro

[02:20] Why valuation is only part of the story in a practice sale

[03:56] Why DIY dental practice sales often fall apart

[05:18] The emotional side of selling and the broker’s role in a DSO Deal

[07:22] Common mistakes that can quietly kill a deal

[10:30] The biggest deal killers

[14:50] A real example of a failed sale that turned into a better outcome

[16:58] How early owners should start planning for a transition

[19:47] The impact of geography, buyer profile, and practice goals

[21:19] Building the right advisor team before you are ready to sell

[22:28] How to look at unsolicited DSO offers

Connect with Kevin McGonigal:

• Website: northeast.ddsmatch.com
• https://ddsmatch.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-mcgonigal/

Connect with Justin Marti:

• LinkedIn: Justin Marti
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: martilawgroup.com

In this episode of Office Hours, Justin from Marti Law Group sits down with Eric Pastan, his former business partner in the dental services organization (DSO) they co-founded and scaled to 45 locations before achieving a private equity exit. Now serving as Director of Consulting at Elliott Davis, Eric helps healthcare organizations navigate financial complexity, build actionable growth strategies, and prepare for successful exits of their own.

Together, Justin and Eric reflect on the lessons they learned while building a multi-location DSO, including what they got right, what they would do differently, and why growth without financial discipline can create serious problems. This episode is packed with practical insights for healthcare founders, dental group leaders, and anyone looking to scale with the end in mind.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why rising revenue can still leave your bank account flat, and the warning signs leaders often miss
• The financial systems and centralized reporting structures every growing DSO needs far earlier than most implement them
• How culture, training, and operational consistency can directly increase enterprise value and support a better exit
• Why growth for growth’s sake can destroy profitability without a clear ROI plan behind each new unit or acquisition
• How to think about debt, payer concentration, and long-term exit strategy before scaling gets too far ahead of the business

[00:00] Intro

[02:33] Eric’s background in helping healthcare businesses

[05:24] Where growing groups should start: financial visibility, KPIs, and planning

[08:37] How growth without planning can waste capital

[09:15] The role culture, people, and employee incentives play in success

[11:27] The hidden driver of value in a practice

[15:12] Debt, self-funding, and capital strategy for scaling dental groups

[17:37] Managing payer concentration risk and the Medicaid dependency challenge

[19:43] How to build a practice ready to exit

[20:10] Scaling a practice the right way

[24:33] Final advice on bridging the gap between vision and execution

Connect with Eric Pastan:

LinkedIn: Eric Pastan

Email: [email protected]

Website: elliottdavis.com

Connect with Justin Marti:

LinkedIn: Justin Marti

Email: [email protected]

Website: martilawgroup.com

Subscribe to Office Hours for more conversations on scaling, transactions, and strategy in the dental and healthcare space. Leave a review if this episode gave you a new lens on profitability, growth, or exit planning.

To connect with Justin or learn more about legal and strategic resources for your organization, visit martilawgroup.com or reach out directly.

Office Hours for Practice Owners is hosted by Justin Marti and helps healthcare practice owners make smarter decisions around starting, growing, protecting, and exiting a practice. Each episode breaks down the legal, business, and mindset side of practice ownership in plain English, with practical insights from experts who do this work every day.