DECA Dental Group (“DECA”), a leading clinician-founded and clinician-led dental services organization backed by funds managed by affiliates of Blackstone Inc. (NYSE: BX; “Blackstone”), announced the nationwide launch of its joint venture (“JV”) program under its Ideal Dental brand, designed to provide dentists with the opportunity to leverage the best-in-class DECA infrastructure to set up, own, operate, and grow their dental practices.
Under the direction of founder & CEO Dr. Sulman Ahmed, DECA has been delivering on its mission of partnering with dentists to provide high-quality, affordable dental care while fostering office growth, innovation and learning since 2008. The formation of the JV program builds upon this mission by providing dentists with the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of ownership of their practices, while leveraging the exceptional reputation of the DECA brand.
Dr. Sulman Ahmed, founder & CEO of DECA Dental, shared his enthusiasm for this landmark initiative: “When we created Ideal Dental, our mission was clear: to set a new standard of excellent patient care by providing comprehensive dental services under one roof. We’ve proven our model’s success, and now after 16 years of innovation, growth and strong practitioner partnerships, I am excited to invite entrepreneurial dental professionals to join us on this transformative journey.”
Dr. Ahmed continued: “Our JV opportunity is about more than providing clinicians with ownership opportunities; it offers them an opportunity to thrive through access to Ideal Dental’s expertise, support systems and brand reputation at a location of their choosing. Ultimately, we believe this initiative will enhance patient care and enrich communities nationwide.”
Dr. Ahmed graduated from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and opened his first dental office with a vow to establish a genuinely patient-centered model. Under his leadership, DECA has grown to 200 locations across 9 states. Ahmed has received The University of Texas at Dallas Distinguished Alumni Award (2024) and been named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year (2017), one of Glassdoor’s Top CEOs (2021) and one of Dallas Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs (2023).
Dr. McCabe, dentist opening a JV location in Jacksonville, FL, said: “It is clear that Dr. Ahmed and his team have created a first-rate experience for both clinicians and patients and I am excited to have access to the strong DECA brand and infrastructure to accelerate the growth of my practice.” Dr. Briggs, dentist opening a JV location in Prosper, TX, added: “The Ideal Dental brand will not only help drive patient volumes but will enable me to staff my practice with best-in-class hygienists and office managers.”
Todd Hirsch of Blackstone said: “DECA has focused on delivering the highest quality care through its company-owned and -operated locations, but now dentists have the opportunity to partner with DECA to benefit from the company’s in-place infrastructure while maintaining their independence and autonomy. We believe DECA’s platform is truly differentiated because of the outstanding dentists that founded and lead the business, delivering a unique ability to bring entrepreneurial innovations like this program to the dental industry.”
The program has been met with early positive reception from the dental community, with multiple agreements already finalized and a robust pipeline extending into 2026 and beyond. For more information and to connect with a representative, visit idealdentalpartners.com.
About Ideal Dental
Ideal Dental, a flagship brand of DECA Dental, was founded in Dallas, and has been delivering high-quality, affordable dental care to patients since 2008. DECA has nearly 200 affiliated dental practices with a network of offices across 9 states. DECA’s culture is founded on a patient-centric model. The company is guided by its vision to be the premier provider of dental services under one roof while being the first choice for dentists and staff seeking a partner for growth, innovation and learning. To learn more, please visit decadental.com.
