13th Annual Dykema DSO Conference 2026: The Premier Event for DSO Leaders

The Dykema DSO Conference is the single most important annual gathering in the dental support organization industry. The 13th Annual edition takes place July 15-17, 2026 at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Denver, Colorado — just minutes from Denver International Airport. With 1,500+ attendees of DSO CEOs, COOs, CFOs, private equity investors, and operations leaders, this is where the biggest decisions in organized dentistry are made.

Dykema 2026 At a Glance

Dates	July 15-17, 2026 (Wednesday–Friday)
Location	Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Aurora, CO (near Denver)
Attendance	1,500+ DSO executives and industry leaders
Focus	DSO growth strategy, M&A, operations, AI/technology, private equity
Registration	dykemaconference.com
Organized by	Dykema (national law firm with DSO industry practice)
Previous edition	Dykema 2025 — Scottsdale, AZ

Why Dykema Is THE DSO Event

There are many dental conferences. There is only one Dykema. While general dental meetings draw clinicians, Dykema draws the business leaders who run organized dentistry:

• CEOs and COOs of the largest DSOs in the country (Aspen, Heartland, Pacific Dental, MB2, DECA)
• Private equity partners — firms with $100M+ committed to dental platform investments
• Emerging group founders — dental entrepreneurs scaling from 5 to 50+ locations
• VP of Operations and Regional Directors — the people who implement technology across locations
• Chief Dental Officers — clinical leaders shaping care delivery standards across networks

A single relationship built at Dykema can influence technology deployment across an entire DSO network. This is not a conference for collecting brochures — it's where enterprise decisions happen.

Dykema DSO Conference 2026 Schedule

Dykema runs three days, Wednesday through Friday. The format is built around sessions plus the deal-making and networking that happen between them:

• Wednesday, July 15 — Opening day. Registration, pre-conference workshops, and the first general sessions. Evening receptions are where many first conversations happen — arrive ready to network.
• Thursday, July 16 — The core day. Keynotes, M&A and operations panels, and the bulk of breakout sessions. The sponsor area is busiest — schedule technology evaluations here.
• Friday, July 17 — Closing sessions and final meetings. A good window for follow-up conversations with people you met earlier in the week.

Because Dykema is as much a relationship event as a content event, block time for unstructured networking, not just sessions. The full agenda is published at dykemaconference.com.

Key Topics for 2026

• AI and automation in DSO operations — AI front desk, centralized call handling, automated recall campaigns, intelligent scheduling across 50+ locations
• M&A landscape — acquisition multiples, platform vs add-on strategy, integration playbooks
• De novo expansion — site selection, buildout economics, speed to profitability
• The staffing crisis solution — how AI reduces dependence on front desk hiring in a market with 30-50% annual turnover
• Technology standardization — deploying one platform across locations with mixed PMS, different workflows, and varying staffing levels
• Revenue cycle optimization — automated insurance verification, claims management, patient payment collection at scale
• Regulatory updates — state-by-state DSO regulations, AI disclosure requirements, HIPAA in the age of AI

The AI and Technology Conversation at Dykema

DSO operations leaders are the most aggressive adopters of AI front desk technology. They face every challenge that solo practices face — missed calls, no-shows, staffing turnover — multiplied by 10, 50, or 500 locations. The conversations at Dykema center on:

• ROI at scale: AI receptionist ($399-$799/location/month) vs centralized call center ($500K-$2M/year) — the math tips dramatically toward AI at 20+ locations
• Consistency across locations: Every patient gets the same experience whether they call the Austin office or the Charlotte office
• Centralized visibility: Operations dashboard showing call volume, answer rates, booking conversions, and outreach results across all locations in real time
• Multi-PMS reality: DSOs built through acquisition often run 3-4 different PMS systems — AI must integrate with all of them

M&A, Private Equity, and the Business of Organized Dentistry

What sets Dykema apart from clinical dental meetings is its focus on the business of dentistry at scale. Dykema, a national law firm with a dedicated DSO practice, convenes the deal-makers — and the agenda reflects it:

• Valuation and multiples — what platform DSOs and add-on practices trade at, and how AI-driven operational efficiency lifts EBITDA and therefore valuation.
• Platform vs add-on strategy — building a DSO from the ground up versus acquiring into an existing platform.
• Integration playbooks — the operational reality of folding an acquired practice into a network: PMS migration, staffing, brand, patient communication.
• Capital markets — how private equity views dental in the current cycle, and what emerging-group founders should know before raising.

For an emerging-group founder, Dykema is a chance to learn the financial vocabulary investors use — and to meet them. For an established DSO, it is where partnerships, acquisitions, and technology-standardization decisions get their first conversations.

Practical Details

• Venue: Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, 6700 N Gaylord Rockies Blvd, Aurora, CO 80019
• Airport: Denver International Airport (DEN) — 10 minutes from venue
• Hotels: On-site at Gaylord Rockies (conference rate typically available) or nearby Aurora/Denver hotels
• Altitude: Denver is at 5,280 feet — stay hydrated and acclimate if traveling from lower elevations

Who Should Attend

Dykema is specifically designed for DSO executives, emerging dental group founders (5+ locations), private equity investors in dental, operations leaders managing multi-location networks, and technology vendors serving the DSO market. If you sell to or manage dental organizations with multiple locations, this is your conference.

Making the Most of Dykema

Dykema rewards preparation more than most conferences, because the value is in the relationships and hallway conversations, not just the sessions. A few hours of planning before you travel is the difference between a productive trip and an expensive one:

• Set meetings before you arrive. Reach out to the people and companies you want to meet ahead of time — calendars fill fast.
• Come with a specific question. "How are 30-location DSOs handling front-desk staffing?" gets you further than "tell me about your business."
• Bring the decision-maker. Dykema conversations move fast; having someone who can commit shortens the path from interest to pilot.
• Plan your locations' coverage. With multiple offices and key staff traveling, decide before you leave how calls and scheduling stay covered.

While You're at Dykema, Who's Answering Your Phones?

Three days in Denver means three days your locations are short a key decision-maker. For DSOs, the impact multiplies — multiple offices may have staff attending. An AI receptionist ensures every location keeps answering calls, booking patients, and running recall campaigns while your team is at the conference.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Dykema different from ADSO Summit?

Both are DSO-focused events, but with different flavors. ADSO Summit is organized by the DSO trade association and focuses on advocacy, regulatory issues, and industry standards. Dykema is organized by the Dykema law firm and leans more toward business strategy, M&A, private equity, and growth tactics. Many DSO leaders attend both. If you can only attend one, Dykema is generally considered the higher-impact event for business development.

Is Dykema worth attending for technology vendors?

Dykema is the single highest-ROI event for enterprise dental technology vendors. While smaller than general dental meetings (~1,500 vs 20,000+), virtually every attendee has purchasing authority for multiple locations. Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are available at dykemaconference.com.

How much does Dykema registration cost?

Registration fees are published on the official conference website. Discount codes are sometimes available through industry media partners (Group Dentistry Now, The Lead Magazine). Early registration is recommended — the event sells out. Check dykemaconference.com for current pricing.

When and where is the Dykema DSO Conference 2026?

The 13th Annual Dykema DSO Conference runs Wednesday, July 15 through Friday, July 17, 2026, at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, CO — about 10 minutes from Denver International Airport.

Is Dykema only for large DSOs?

No. While large-DSO executives attend, the conference is equally valuable for emerging-group founders scaling from 5 to 50 locations and for dentists weighing the DSO path. The M&A and growth content spans that full range.

What makes an AI front desk a fit for multi-location DSOs?

At scale, an AI receptionist gives every location identical call handling, a single operations dashboard across all offices, and integration with the multiple PMS systems a DSO accumulates through acquisition — at a fraction of the cost of a centralized human call center past roughly 20 locations.

Should I attend Dykema instead of a general dental meeting?

They serve different purposes. A general dental meeting (CDA Presents, GNYDM, the ADA Scientific Session) is for clinical CE and broad technology browsing. Dykema is for the business of running a multi-location organization — growth strategy, M&A, operations, and the relationships that drive enterprise decisions. Most DSO leaders attend both: a general meeting for the clinical team's CE, and Dykema for the executive agenda. If your role is operations, finance, or growth rather than chairside care, Dykema is the higher-value trip of the two.