{"id":132,"date":"2026-07-19T05:21:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T05:21:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.sites.aigrowthagent.co\/dental-sell-side-advisor-process\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T05:21:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T05:21:15","slug":"dental-sell-side-advisor-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/dental-sell-side-advisor-process\/","title":{"rendered":"Dental Sell-Side Advisor Hiring Process: A 7-Step Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>The dental sell-side advisor you choose can strongly influence your final sale price, deal terms, and likelihood of closing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Owners of practices generating $1M+ in revenue can benefit from a clear 7-step evaluation covering specialization, both-path capability, valuation quality, buyer pool depth, fees, transaction rates, and process discipline.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Advisors with dental-only experience and balanced private-buyer and DSO work can provide genuine side-by-side valuations and stronger buyer competition.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Key red flags include instant valuations, dual representation, success fees triggered at LOI, and vague or unlimited tail periods. Screening for these can protect seller outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/contact-us\/\">Practice owners can schedule a free, confidential discovery call with McLerran to discuss their practice, goals, and which transition path may fit best.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Who This Guide Serves and Key Terms to Know<\/h2>\n<p>This guide serves owners of premier dental practices, generally those generating $1M or more in annual revenue, who are considering an exit or affiliation in the next several years.<\/p>\n<p>A few terms appear throughout and are defined in plain language:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>EBITDA<\/strong> \u2013 Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization. Institutional buyers use this profitability figure to value a practice. It starts with net income and adds back non-cash charges and owner-specific expenses to show the true cash the practice generates.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>LOI<\/strong> \u2013 Letter of Intent. A non-binding document that outlines the key terms of a proposed deal before formal contracts are drafted.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Due diligence<\/strong> \u2013 The buyer\u2019s detailed review of the practice\u2019s financials, operations, and legal standing after an LOI is signed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>DSO<\/strong> \u2013 Dental Service Organization. A corporate entity, often backed by private equity, that acquires dental practices and provides administrative and operational support.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Private buyer<\/strong> \u2013 An individual dentist purchasing a practice in a doctor-to-doctor transaction.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Earnout<\/strong> \u2013 A portion of the purchase price paid after closing, contingent on the practice meeting agreed performance targets.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Recapitalization<\/strong> \u2013 A future liquidity event in which a DSO\u2019s private equity backer sells the platform, which can multiply the value of any equity a seller retained at closing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The two primary transition paths, doctor-to-doctor and DSO affiliation, tend to fit different practice profiles. Practices in the $1M to $1.5M revenue range often align well with a private-buyer sale. Larger practices, particularly those above $1.5M in revenue, tend to attract DSO interest. Practices in the middle can reasonably go either way, and a side-by-side comparison can be the most honest way to choose. Neither path is inherently superior; the right answer can depend on the practice\u2019s financials, the owner\u2019s goals, and the market at the time of sale. The seven-step framework below helps you identify an advisor who can evaluate both paths fairly and execute the one that fits your practice best.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"text-align: center;\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co\/1782231581955-2aa75d9d4697.jpeg\" alt=\"McLerran &amp; Associates team: McLerran is the nation's largest dental-specific sell-side M&amp;A advisory and brokerage firms\" style=\"max-height: 500px;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption><em>McLerran &amp; Associates team: McLerran is the nation&#8217;s largest dental-specific sell-side M&amp;A advisory and brokerage firms<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>The 7-Step Dental Sell-Side Advisor Hiring Process<\/h2>\n<h3>Step 1: Verify Dental-Only Specialization<\/h3>\n<p>The first filter is whether the advisor works exclusively in dental. Generalist advisors can miss sub-vertical value, including nuances in payer mix, specialty-specific buyer demand, and the regulatory layers that affect dental transactions. Ask the advisor how many dental practice transactions they closed in the past 24 months, broken out by solo practice, group, and DSO-track deals. A dental-only firm like McLerran &amp; Associates, which has evaluated more than 10,000 practices over roughly 35 years, carries institutional knowledge of how buyer demand and valuation dynamics can differ by specialty and region. A multi-vertical advisor spread across dental, veterinary, and other healthcare verticals usually cannot match that depth.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 2: Confirm Both-Path Capability<\/h3>\n<p>An advisor who works only DSO deals will tend to steer every client toward a DSO. An advisor who works only doctor-to-doctor deals cannot access the institutional buyer pool at all. Owners can make more informed decisions when an advisor runs both paths in roughly equal measure and can produce a true side-by-side valuation. That comparison quantifies the practice\u2019s worth in both markets before the owner commits to either. McLerran &amp; Associates splits its work approximately 50\/50 between private-buyer and DSO transactions, which is relatively rare and can serve owners in the $1.5M to $3M revenue range who have a genuine choice.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 3: Evaluate Valuation Methodology and Quality<\/h3>\n<p>Valuation quality can shape every later stage of the process. \u201cFree\u201d valuations often function as lead-generation tools. A simple rule-of-thumb based on a percentage of revenue can significantly undervalue a dental practice. A back-of-the-napkin number set by the buyer can become the anchor for the entire negotiation. Ask the advisor to walk through their EBITDA normalization process, including how they identify and document add-backs such as above-market owner compensation or one-time legal fees. McLerran &amp; Associates builds a CPA-led, diligence-grade EBITDA analysis before going to market, so the valuation can hold up when buyers scrutinize it and deals are less likely to be re-traded downward during due diligence.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"text-align: center;\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co\/1782231605342-03c5ed4725a3.jpeg\" alt=\"At McLerran &amp; Associates, every engagement is built on an ironclad, CPA-led EBITDA analysis and practice valuation.\" style=\"max-height: 500px;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption><em>At McLerran &amp; Associates, every engagement is built on an ironclad, CPA-led EBITDA analysis and practice valuation.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Step 4: Assess Buyer Pool Depth and Vetting Standards<\/h3>\n<p>The size and quality of the buyer pool can strongly influence how much competitive tension an advisor can create, and that competition can push price and terms higher. Ask the advisor to name specific buyers they have sold practices to in the past 24 months. Ask whether any buyers have been blacklisted and why. McLerran &amp; Associates maintains a large premier private-buyer pool for doctor-to-doctor transactions and a vetted DSO and private equity buyer pool from which poorly run or undercapitalized buyers have been excluded.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 5: Scrutinize Fee Structure and Engagement Terms<\/h3>\n<p>Fee structure and engagement terms can shape incentives on both sides. Sell-side M&amp;A advisor fees in the lower-middle market typically include a monthly work fee, a success fee at closing, and expense reimbursement. Boutique dental brokers on solo practices typically charge 8\u201310% of gross price with no retainer. Larger engagements may use a modified Lehman-formula success fee with a monthly retainer that is often fully creditable against the success fee at closing.<\/p>\n<p>Before signing, negotiate several key terms that can protect your interests if the deal stalls or the advisor underperforms. Define \u201ctransaction value\u201d precisely and clarify whether it includes earnouts and rollover equity or only cash at close. Confirm whether the retainer credits against the success fee so you are not paying twice for the same work. Set a hard cap on reimbursable expenses to avoid surprise invoices. Limit the tail period to named buyers the advisor actually introduced, and keep it to 24\u201336 months.<\/p>\n<p>Several red flags can signal misaligned incentives. A success fee triggered at LOI signing rather than at close rewards the advisor for starting a deal, not finishing it. A tail period longer than 36 months applied to any buyer rather than a named list can trap you long after the engagement ends. Large non-refundable upfront retainers without a clear work-product roadmap can shift most of the risk onto the seller.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 6: Check Transaction Rate and Reference Quality<\/h3>\n<p>Transaction rate and reference quality can provide a reality check on an advisor\u2019s claims. Legitimate dental M&amp;A advisors often report a success rate of 65\u201385% on deals engaged in the past 24 months. Less-structured processes can run closer to 35\u201340%. McLerran &amp; Associates reports a transaction rate of approximately 85\u201390%, compared to do-it-yourself close rates that can run as low as 15\u201320%.<\/p>\n<p>Ask for three references from selling dentists whose deals closed in the past 18 months, and contact them directly. Ask what surprised them, what they would do differently, and whether they would hire the firm again. Their answers can reveal how the advisor behaves once the engagement begins.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 7: Confirm Process Discipline and Timeline Transparency<\/h3>\n<p>A clear, disciplined process can support valuation and deal certainty. A dental practice sell-side M&amp;A process with an advisor typically runs 6\u201310 months from engagement to close. Compressing the process below 6 months can put downward pressure on valuation. Ask the advisor to walk through their specific process phases, including preparation and financial normalization, marketing materials and buyer outreach, first-round offers, management presentations, LOI negotiation, due diligence, and closing.<\/p>\n<p>Confirm in writing that the senior advisor who pitches the engagement will personally run the process, rather than handing it off to a junior team member. McLerran &amp; Associates runs a structured, auction-style DSO bid process that typically spans 45\u201360 days and generates around 10 offers. The firm then coordinates in-person meetings with the top finalists before an LOI is negotiated.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/contact-us\/\">Talk to McLerran &amp; Associates about how this process applies to your specific practice and goals \u2014 schedule a free, confidential discovery call.<\/a><\/p>\n<figure style=\"text-align: center;\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co\/1782231776232-426cf610db07.jpeg\" alt=\"A chat at McLerran &amp; Associates: the dental-specific sell-side advisor and advocate for practice owners guides on how, when, and to whom to sell your practice.\" style=\"max-height: 500px;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption><em>A chat at McLerran &amp; Associates: the dental-specific sell-side advisor and advocate for practice owners guides on how, when, and to whom to sell your practice.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Frameworks and Comparison Tools<\/h2>\n<p>Once you have worked through the seven-step evaluation process, a comparison framework can help you quickly see how different advisor types stack up. Use the table below as a reference checklist when you vet candidates and as a way to spot structural gaps in expertise, buyer access, and process quality.<\/p>\n<p>Dental specialization varies widely across advisor types. DIY sellers have no advisor expertise at all. Local generalist brokers may have some dental experience but often have limited depth. Multi-vertical advisors spread their focus across healthcare verticals, which can leave sub-vertical value uncredited. Free-valuation firms vary in specialization. McLerran &amp; Associates works exclusively in dental and has evaluated more than 10,000 practices over roughly 35 years.<\/p>\n<p>The table below contrasts five advisor categories across several dimensions relevant to premier dental practice owners. Every data point is drawn from published sources or McLerran &amp; Associates\u2019 documented performance figures.<\/p>\n<table style=\"min-width: 150px;\">\n<colgroup>\n<col style=\"min-width: 25px;\">\n<col style=\"min-width: 25px;\">\n<col style=\"min-width: 25px;\">\n<col style=\"min-width: 25px;\">\n<col style=\"min-width: 25px;\">\n<col style=\"min-width: 25px;\"><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Dimension<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>DIY \/ For-Sale-By-Owner<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Local Generalist Broker<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Multi-Vertical Advisor<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Free-Valuation Firm<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>McLerran &amp; Associates (Dental-Only Specialist)<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Both transition paths<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>No<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Primarily one path<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Occasional access to both<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Primarily one path<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Approximately 50% private-buyer and 50% DSO<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Valuation quality<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Buyer-set anchor<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Limited financial preparation, buyer-driven process<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Variable<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Rule-of-thumb; can undervalue by $1M+<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>CPA-led, diligence-grade EBITDA; designed not to re-trade<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Buyer pool<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>One buyer<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>1\u20132 DSOs; small local list<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Broader but not dental-specific<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Partial list<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Large premier private-buyer pool; vetted DSO and PE buyers; weak actors excluded<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Competitive tension<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>None<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Minimal<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Some<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Low<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Structured auction; typically around 10 offers on DSO track<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Transaction rate<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Approximately 15\u201320% DIY close rate<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Below average<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Variable<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Approximately 35\u201340% industry norm<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p>Approximately 85\u201390%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Common Challenges and Red Flags in Advisor Selection<\/h2>\n<p>Certain patterns can signal that an advisor may not be the right fit for a premier dental practice sale. The red flags below work well as a vetting checklist before you sign an engagement letter.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Instant valuation on the first call.<\/strong> Providing a valuation without reviewing tax returns, an adjusted EBITDA bridge, or patient concentration data can signal a listing-focused approach rather than a sell-side advocacy model.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Dual representation.<\/strong> An advisor who also represents buyers on the same transaction creates a structural conflict of interest that can affect seller outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Guaranteed multiples before diligence.<\/strong> No legitimate advisor can promise a specific multiple before reviewing the practice\u2019s financials. Multiples can be shaped by fundamentals such as EBITDA margin, practice size, owner dependence, payer mix, and buyer competition, not by a pitch-deck promise.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>No named buyer relationships.<\/strong> An advisor who cannot name at least 30 specific buyers for a deal of a given size and type may lack the relationships needed to create genuine competition.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Success fee triggered at LOI, not close.<\/strong> Triggering the fee at LOI signing rather than at close can misalign the advisor\u2019s incentive with the seller\u2019s interest in actually closing the deal.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Vague or unlimited tail period.<\/strong> Tail periods longer than 36 months, or those not limited to a defined named-buyer list, can trap sellers long after an engagement ends.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>No references from recent closed sellers.<\/strong> A quality advisor can supply three founder references from comparable closed deals in the seller\u2019s sub-sector completed within the past 24 months.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The following questions can help you probe these issues with every advisor candidate:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>How many dental practice transactions have you closed in the past 24 months, and can you provide a redacted deal sheet?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Who specifically will run my process day-to-day, and will that be confirmed in writing?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>What is your success rate on engagements started in the past 24 months?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Walk me through your buyer list for a practice like mine by name.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>What is your tail period, and is it limited to buyers you introduced?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Do you take any referral fees or side compensation from buyers?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Measuring Success in a Dental Practice Sale<\/h2>\n<p>Several objective indicators can help a practice owner evaluate whether a sell-side process is performing as expected.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Valuation defensibility.<\/strong> A strong EBITDA analysis can hold up when buyers scrutinize it, which can reduce the risk of the deal being re-traded downward during due diligence. Institutional buyers can produce EBITDA calculations on the same practice data with up to 73% variance depending on normalization methodology. That variance is one reason a diligence-grade, CPA-led analysis done before going to market can matter.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Buyer interest volume.<\/strong> A well-run competitive process usually generates multiple offers. A competitive sales process run by a sell-side advisor can improve total transaction value by 30\u2013100% over an unsolicited DSO offer. McLerran &amp; Associates\u2019 DSO process typically generates around 10 offers.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Timeline adherence.<\/strong> A full dental practice sell-side process typically runs 6\u201310 months from engagement to close. Significant deviations in either direction, whether rushing or stalling, can signal process problems.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Close rate.<\/strong> The firm\u2019s 85\u201390% close rate, mentioned earlier, stands in contrast to an industry norm closer to 35\u201340% and DIY close rates as low as 15\u201320%. Clients of the firm have on average received approximately 30% higher valuations than they might have achieved selling on their own.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>FAQ<\/h2>\n<h3>When should I start the dental sell-side advisor hiring process, and how early should I engage an advisor?<\/h3>\n<p>Owners often benefit from starting earlier than they expect. Many advisors recommend beginning preparation at least 2\u20133 years before a target sale date, and ideally 3\u20135 years out for premier practices. That runway can allow time to clean financials, reduce owner dependence, improve EBITDA, and address any lease or operational issues that could compress valuation. Engaging an advisor 12\u201318 months before going to market can serve as a reasonable minimum. McLerran &amp; Associates will provide a complimentary valuation update a year after the initial analysis if an owner is not ready to move forward immediately, so there can be little downside to starting the conversation early.<\/p>\n<h3>What is a side-by-side valuation, and why does it matter?<\/h3>\n<p>A side-by-side valuation quantifies a practice\u2019s worth in both the private-buyer market and the DSO or private equity market at the same time, using the appropriate methodology for each. Private-buyer transactions typically use a percentage of collections or a multiple of Seller\u2019s Discretionary Earnings (SDE, the total economic benefit to a single owner-operator). DSO transactions use a multiple of adjusted EBITDA. These methodologies can produce different numbers, and the buyer pools are entirely different. An owner who only sees one path may be making a decision with incomplete information. McLerran &amp; Associates produces this comparison as a standard part of its engagement, which is possible because the firm works both paths in roughly equal measure.<\/p>\n<h3>How do I evaluate whether a DSO is a good partner and not just a high bidder?<\/h3>\n<p>Evaluating a DSO can work best when treated like evaluating an investment, not just a buyer. Helpful questions include whether the overall platform is profitable and whether revenue is still growing at the offices it already owns. The stability and experience of the management team can matter as well. The private equity firm\u2019s track record with similar acquisitions can provide additional context. Feedback from sellers who joined the platform 2\u20133 years ago can reveal what life looks like after closing.<\/p>\n<p>Up to 40% of a DSO deal can be paid in equity rather than cash, which means the seller is effectively becoming an investor in the DSO. A dental-only advisor with deep buyer relationships, and a blacklist of poorly run platforms, can help owners distinguish well-backed, well-run buyers from those that may struggle post-close. McLerran &amp; Associates vets buyers before they reach the table and has excluded DSOs known for poor post-close environments from its buyer pool.<\/p>\n<h3>What is the difference between the DSO and private-buyer advisor selection process?<\/h3>\n<p>The core vetting criteria often remain the same, including dental specialization, valuation quality, buyer pool depth, fee structure, and transaction rate. The process details can differ in meaningful ways. A DSO engagement requires an advisor fluent in EBITDA normalization, quality-of-earnings defense, equity structure analysis such as joint-venture versus holding-company equity, earnout negotiation, and multi-year financial forecasting. A private-buyer engagement requires access to a large pool of pre-qualified individual dentist buyers, strong relationships with dental lenders, and experience with deal structures such as walk-away sales and partnership vest-outs. An advisor who works both paths brings both skill sets and can apply the right one, or both, depending on where the process leads.<\/p>\n<h3>What does confidentiality look like during the sale process, and when should staff be told?<\/h3>\n<p>Confidentiality usually sits at the center of a sell-side advisor\u2019s role. Buyers sign non-disclosure agreements before receiving any practice-specific information. The practice is typically marketed without identifying the owner or location until a buyer has been qualified and an NDA is in place. Staff generally should not be informed until after a Letter of Intent is signed and due diligence is underway. Earlier disclosure can create anxiety-driven turnover and patient attrition, both of which can affect valuation. McLerran &amp; Associates manages this process as a buffer between seller and buyer, helping protect staff relationships and goodwill through every stage of the transaction.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>The dental sell-side advisor hiring process can form the foundation for valuation, deal certainty, and legacy protection. A dental-only advisor who runs both transition paths can create genuine competition, shape the narrative around EBITDA, and defend the agreed value through due diligence so the deal is less likely to be re-traded. The 7-step framework above gives practice owners tools to distinguish a specialist from a generalist, evaluate fee structures and engagement terms, and identify red flags before signing anything.<\/p>\n<p>McLerran &amp; Associates\u2019 track record, built over roughly 35 years and more than 10,000 practice evaluations, translates to a transaction rate of approximately 85\u201390% and an average valuation lift of approximately 30% over going it alone. These outcomes can reflect the firm\u2019s dental-only focus and both-path capability.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/contact-us\/\">Find out what your practice is worth in both markets \u2014 schedule a free, confidential call with McLerran &amp; Associates to discuss your goals and next steps.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to hire the right dental sell-side advisor in 7 steps. McLerran helps practice owners maximize sale value and close with confidence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":131,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=132"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=132"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=132"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=132"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}