The Group Dentistry Now Emerging Dental Groups Conference is specifically designed for dental groups in the 5–50+ location range that are actively scaling. With 400–600 attendees of dental group founders, operations leaders, and technology vendors, it is the most targeted event for the emerging DSO segment.
GDN Emerging Groups 2026 At a Glance
| Dates | June 11-13, 2026 |
| Location | Nashville, TN |
| Attendance | 400-600 dental group decision-makers |
| Focus | Dental groups with 5-50+ locations actively scaling |
| Registration | groupdentistrynow.com |
| Organized by | Group Dentistry Now |
Why This Conference Matters
Emerging dental groups — practices that have grown beyond a single location but haven't yet reached enterprise DSO scale — face unique operational challenges. They need technology that scales without proportional headcount increases, standardized processes across locations, and centralized visibility into performance. This conference brings together the leaders who are solving these exact problems, sharing what works, and evaluating vendor solutions.
Key Topics for 2026
- Scaling patient communication with AI — deploying AI voice agents, text automation, and web chat across multiple locations
- Centralized vs. decentralized operations — how to maintain consistency as you grow
- Technology stack for growth — PMS integrations, call center solutions, and front desk automation
- Talent and culture at scale — reducing turnover, standardizing training, and leveraging AI to reduce administrative burden
- Financial modeling for growth — de novo economics, acquisition multiples, and PE partnership strategies
Who Should Attend
This conference is specifically for dental group owners with 5+ locations, DSO operations and regional managers, dental PE investors and advisors, and technology vendors who serve multi-location dental practices. If you're building a dental group and need solutions for scaling, this is your conference.
Attendance & Foot Traffic
The Emerging Groups Conference draws 400–600 attendees. While smaller than general dental meetings, virtually every attendee is a decision-maker at a growing dental group — making it one of the highest-quality lead generation events for enterprise dental technology companies. Group Dentistry Now also publishes influential industry media, amplifying exhibitor visibility beyond the event itself.
Location: Nashville, TN
While You're Away, Who's Answering Your Phones?
Days at a conference mean days of missed calls at your practice. An AI receptionist answers every call 24/7, books directly into your PMS, speaks 24+ languages, and keeps your schedule full — so you return to booked appointments, not a full voicemail box.
Don't Miss Patients While You're Earning CE
Deploy AI reception before you leave — your practice keeps booking while you learn.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size dental groups attend this conference?
Primarily dental groups with 5-50+ locations that are actively scaling. These are "emerging" groups — past the single-location stage but not yet at enterprise DSO scale. Attendees are founders, operations leaders, and regional managers making technology decisions.
How is this different from Dykema or ADSO?
GDN Emerging Groups targets the mid-market — groups actively scaling from 5 to 50+ locations. Dykema and ADSO serve larger enterprise DSOs. The content is more tactical (how to standardize operations, which technology to deploy) vs strategic (M&A, PE, regulatory).
Date: June 11-13, 2026
👉 TensorLinks AI Receptionist helps growing dental groups scale without scaling headcount. Book a free demo | Plans from $399/mo
See the AI dental receptionist 100+ practices use to never miss a call
TensorLinks answers every patient call 24/7, books directly into Dentrix, EagleSoft, Open Dental, Curve and Denticon, verifies insurance, and handles recall campaigns — replacing both your traditional dental answering service and your after-hours voicemail. From $399/mo.
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