12th Annual Dykema DSO Conference 2025: The Premier DSO Industry Event

The Dykema DSO Conference is the premier annual gathering of the dental support organization industry. Now in its 12th year, the 2025 edition brought together 1,500+ DSO executives, private equity investors, dental industry leaders, and technology vendors in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is not a clinical dental meeting — it is a business strategy conference where the largest deals and partnerships in organized dentistry take shape.

Dykema DSO 2025 At a Glance

Dates	May 14-16, 2025
Location	Scottsdale, AZ
Attendance	1,500+ (C-suite DSO executives, PE investors, industry leaders)
Focus	DSO growth strategy, M&A, operations, technology, private equity
Website	dykemadso.com
Next edition	Dykema 2026 — July 15-17, Denver, CO

Why Dykema Is THE DSO Event

Unlike general dental meetings where attendees are clinicians, Dykema attendees are CEOs, COOs, CFOs, Chief Dental Officers, VP of Operations, and PE partners at dental support organizations. These are the people who make technology purchasing decisions for 10, 50, or 500+ locations at a time. A single conversation at Dykema can influence a deployment across an entire DSO network.

The conference has grown alongside the DSO industry itself — from a niche gathering to the must-attend event for anyone involved in multi-location dental operations. Since its founding in 2014, Dykema has been the venue where the biggest partnerships, acquisitions, and vendor selections in the DSO space are initiated.

Key Topics Covered

• DSO growth strategies — de novo expansion, acquisitions, multi-state operations, market selection
• Private equity in dental — deal structures, valuation trends, platform vs add-on strategy
• Operations at scale — standardizing workflows, centralized vs decentralized management, KPI tracking
• Technology and AI adoption — AI front desk, automated patient communication, centralized dashboards, call analytics
• Workforce challenges — dental staffing shortage, retention strategies, reducing front desk burnout with automation
• Regulatory and compliance — state-by-state DSO regulations, HIPAA, AI disclosure requirements

Who Attends Dykema

• DSO executives — CEOs, COOs, CFOs, Chief Dental Officers, VP Operations
• Private equity investors — PE firms active in dental (850+ PE-backed DSO transactions in the last decade)
• Emerging group leaders — dental entrepreneurs building 5-50+ location groups
• Technology vendors — practice management, AI, patient communication, revenue cycle
• Legal and financial advisors — M&A attorneys, valuations firms, practice brokers

AI and Technology at Dykema

DSO operations leaders are among the earliest and most aggressive adopters of AI front desk technology — they face the staffing shortage multiplied across dozens or hundreds of locations. At Dykema, technology conversations center on:

• How AI voice agents reduce missed calls across all locations simultaneously
• Centralized dashboards that give operations visibility into call volume, booking rates, and patient communication across every office
• ROI models: AI receptionist cost ($399-$699/location/month) vs centralized call center ($500K-$2M/year) vs additional headcount
• Multi-PMS integration challenges — running Dentrix at some locations, EagleSoft at others, OpenDental at others

Looking Ahead: Dykema 2026

The 13th Annual Dykema DSO Conference takes place July 15-17, 2026 at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Denver, CO. See the full Dykema 2026 guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Dykema different from other dental conferences?

Dykema is a business strategy conference, not a clinical meeting. Attendees are DSO executives, PE investors, and operations leaders — not clinicians. The content focuses on growth strategy, M&A, operations at scale, and technology adoption. If you're building or managing a multi-location dental group, this is the one conference where every attendee is in your industry.

Is Dykema worth attending for technology vendors?

Dykema is the highest-ROI event for dental technology vendors targeting DSOs. While attendance (~1,500) is smaller than general dental meetings (20,000+), virtually every attendee has purchasing authority for multiple locations. A single conversation can lead to a 50-location deployment. Exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities are available through dykemadso.com.

How much does Dykema registration cost?

Registration fees vary and are published on the official Dykema website. Discount codes are sometimes available through industry media partners (e.g., Group Dentistry Now). Check dykemadso.com for current pricing and early bird discounts.