{"id":238,"date":"2026-08-13T05:04:05","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T05:04:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/choose-dso-partner-california\/"},"modified":"2026-08-13T05:04:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T05:04:05","slug":"choose-dso-partner-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/choose-dso-partner-california\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Choose a DSO Partner in California: A 7-Step Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways for California Dentists<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>California\u2019s 2026 regulatory environment, including SB 351 and recent Attorney General enforcement, can make rigorous due diligence essential before any DSO affiliation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Owners who define clinical, financial, and legacy goals upfront are less likely to be steered toward terms that do not fit their priorities.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Every contract clause can be reviewed for Corporate Practice of Dentistry compliance, especially management fees, ownership structure, and clinical control.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Modeling cash-at-close, JV equity, and holding-company equity outcomes across several time horizons can reveal the true long-term value of each deal structure.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>McLerran &amp; Associates guides California practice owners through this seven-step process to pursue compliant, competitive, and legacy-protecting DSO partnerships. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/contact-us\/\">Schedule a free, confidential discovery call today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Choosing a DSO partner in California can be one of the most consequential financial decisions of your career. The seven steps below offer a practical framework you can use to evaluate any California DSO affiliation with consistent, repeatable rigor.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<p>Define your clinical, financial, and legacy goals before any conversation begins.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Verify Corporate Practice of Dentistry compliance in every contract clause.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Model cash-at-close, JV equity, and holding-company equity outcomes over 3, 5, and 7 years.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Quantify post-close autonomy metrics in writing before signing a letter of intent.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Run a competitive, auction-style bid process to create real market tension.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Identify red flags and vet buyer track records as rigorously as any investment.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Negotiate terms that protect your legacy, staff, and patients, not just the headline price.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Step 1: Clarify Your Clinical, Financial, and Legacy Priorities<\/h2>\n<p>Clear internal priorities give you a negotiating roadmap. Owners who enter conversations without defined goals often negotiate from a weaker position, and sophisticated DSO buyers can fill that gap with their preferred terms.<\/p>\n<p>Before approaching any buyer, work through questions such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>What is your target timeline for clinical exit: roughly 3 years, 5 years, or 10+ years?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>How much of the deal should be cash at close versus equity rollover, meaning ownership units in the DSO platform that may pay out at a future sale?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>What level of clinical autonomy, including control over treatment planning, scheduling, and staff, remains non-negotiable after the deal?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>What should happen to your team and patients if the DSO is recapitalized or sold to another buyer?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Are you open to a multi-year employment commitment, and under what compensation structure would that feel acceptable?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>California call-out:<\/strong> The share of dentists affiliated with a DSO reached 16.1% nationally in 2024, more than double the level since 2015, and stands at 27% among dentists fewer than 10 years out of dental school. California\u2019s market remains comparatively independent, so the right DSO partner may be one that values your established patient base and community reputation, not just your EBITDA.<\/p>\n<p>McLerran &amp; Associates begins every engagement by understanding the owner\u2019s \u201cwhy.\u201d That clarity then shapes each subsequent step in the process.<\/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>Step 2: Confirm Corporate Practice of Dentistry Compliance in Writing<\/h2>\n<p>California requires a dentist-owned Professional Corporation, or PC, to hold the dental license. The DSO typically operates through a Management Services Organization, or MSO, that handles non-clinical functions under a Management Services Agreement, or MSA. MSOs in California may handle payroll, bookkeeping, marketing, office operations, and vendor relationships, but they may not interfere with professional judgments, control treatment planning, hire or fire clinical staff, or control billing and coding.<\/p>\n<p>Review every contract clause against these standards:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Confirm the MSA does not grant the DSO replacement rights, meaning the ability to substitute a new dentist-owner if the relationship ends. The 2026 California AG settlement explicitly bars this practice.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Verify that management fees are fixed or cost-plus, not calculated as a percentage of revenue, collections, or profit, or that any percentage-based fee is supported by a contemporaneous fair-market-value analysis under Business and Professions Code section 650(b).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Confirm you retain veto rights and prior written approval over all advertisements, marketing materials, and financing promotions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Ensure no incentive payments to clinical staff are tied to sales, revenue, or profit, including bonuses for proprietary products.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Verify that you, as practice owner, hold the lease for your location.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>California call-out:<\/strong> The 2026 Aspen Dental settlement imposes a 36-month independent monitorship on the DSO with broad access to documents and personnel. This outcome signals that California regulators are actively auditing existing arrangements, not just new ones. Any DSO that cannot demonstrate clean compliance with these standards before you sign can be a significant red flag.<\/p>\n<h2>Step 3: Compare Cash-at-Close, JV Equity, and Holding-Company Equity<\/h2>\n<p>The headline purchase price often differs from what you ultimately receive. DSO deals are commonly structured across three components: cash at close, equity rollover, and an earnout. Equity rollover converts part of your proceeds into ownership units in the DSO platform, and an earnout represents contingent payments tied to post-close performance targets such as EBITDA or collections. In 2026, many DSO structures allocate a majority as cash at close, a smaller portion as rollover equity into the holding company, and a remaining portion as a 1\u20133 year earnout.<\/p>\n<p>Equity can sit at two levels. Joint-venture, or JV, equity sits at the practice or regional level and typically generates distributions, which can create a higher floor but a lower ceiling. Holding-company equity sits at the DSO\u2019s parent level, usually generates no distributions, and can multiply at a future recapitalization or sale, depending on platform performance.<\/p>\n<p>McLerran &amp; Associates produces multi-year, multi-structure financial forecasts that show what each deal structure can net the owner over time, using conservative recapitalization assumptions. This approach helps owners compare options side by side instead of reacting to a single headline number. A key insight is that a structure that looks less attractive at year 3 can outperform at year 7 if platform performance and recapitalization timing align favorably.<\/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<p>Each deal structure can produce different outcomes over time. Cash-at-close structures offer the highest near-term certainty because proceeds are fully realized at closing with no performance contingency, although no additional upside accrues at year 5 or 7. JV equity structures combine cash-at-close with distributions from practice-level equity, so cumulative distributions can increase total proceeds over time, with the ceiling generally limited to regional platform value. Holding-company equity structures provide lower near-term liquidity and no distributions, yet can offer the highest potential ceiling if the platform performs well and a second-bite opportunity at private equity exit occurs. McLerran &amp; Associates models these scenarios with numeric projections tailored to each client\u2019s practice and deal terms.<\/p>\n<p><strong>California call-out:<\/strong> A significant share of surveyed DSOs anticipate recapitalization within 12 to 36 months. This timing means the equity you roll over today may be valued, or written down, sooner than expected. Modeling several scenarios before signing can help set realistic expectations.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/contact-us\/\">Schedule a free, confidential discovery call with McLerran &amp; Associates to model your California DSO affiliation outcomes across deal structures and time horizons.<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Step 4: Measure Post-Close Autonomy Before You Sign<\/h2>\n<p>Post-close clinical autonomy can vary widely by platform. Some DSOs take a deliberately hands-off approach and preserve existing branding, culture, and day-to-day operations. Others centralize clinical protocols, scheduling, and vendor relationships within 12\u201324 months of closing. Clinical autonomy after a DSO sale can differ significantly across platforms.<\/p>\n<p>Before signing a letter of intent, obtain written answers to questions such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Who controls treatment planning, diagnosis, and case acceptance, and is that protection written into the MSA or only offered verbally?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Can you set appointment lengths for complex cases, and how will centralized scheduling be trained on your patient mix?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Which implant systems, lab partners, and materials are required, and which remain discretionary?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>How is post-close compensation structured, whether production-based or collections-based, and how are write-offs, refunds, and bad debt allocated to your pay?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>What clinician governance exists, and how are disagreements between the practice and the DSO resolved?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>California call-out:<\/strong> Under SB 351 and the current AG enforcement posture, DSOs must grant practice owners control over scheduling, staff assignments, hiring, performance reviews, and compensation setting. The DSO\u2019s role should remain limited to administrative and logistical support. If a proposed MSA does not reflect these standards, that gap can become a compliance risk you inherit at close.<\/p>\n<p>DSO transactions typically require a 3\u20135 year post-sale employment commitment, compared with a 30\u201390 day transition period in many private-buyer deals. Understanding what that commitment entails, and what it may cost if the platform underperforms, can be helpful before the LOI is signed.<\/p>\n<h2>Step 5: Use a Competitive, Auction-Style Bid Process<\/h2>\n<p>Owners who negotiate with a single DSO usually have limited leverage. DSOs negotiate acquisitions every week, while most owners sell once in a lifetime, which can create an uneven playing field. A structured, competitive process can help level that field.<\/p>\n<p>A structured, auction-style bid process often includes steps such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Build a diligence-grade EBITDA analysis, meaning adjusted EBITDA with personal and non-recurring expenses added back, so the valuation can withstand buyer scrutiny and reduce the risk of re-trading.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Prepare a marketing deck and virtual data room that highlight key value drivers such as patient demographics, hygiene performance, payer mix, growth trajectory, and operational infrastructure.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Solicit offers from a vetted pool of well-qualified buyers at the same time to create competitive tension that can improve both price and terms.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Move from initial offers to in-person meetings with top finalists, using competing bids as leverage at each stage.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Exclude buyers known for poor post-close environments so they never reach the table.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Steven Au leads McLerran &amp; Associates\u2019 Los Angeles office and brings this process directly to California premier-practice owners. McLerran\u2019s auction-style process typically runs 45\u201360 days and generates multiple offers per listing, which can produce higher valuations than owners often achieve on their own, with a transaction rate that exceeds industry norms near 35\u201340%.<\/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<p><strong>California call-out:<\/strong> DSO penetration in the Los Angeles metro stands at <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noindex nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/providersignal.com\/metro\/los-angeles-ca\">6.1%<\/a>, which makes it a moderately consolidated market. Well-run premier practices can be scarce, sought-after assets in this environment, and that supply-demand dynamic can favor sellers who create competition rather than accepting the first offer.<\/p>\n<h2>Step 6: Vet Buyer Financial Health and Track Record<\/h2>\n<p>Not every DSO will be a strong long-term partner. When a substantial portion of a deal is paid in equity rather than cash, you are effectively investing in the DSO\u2019s future performance, so that equity deserves careful review.<\/p>\n<p>Vet each finalist buyer against criteria such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Whether the DSO\u2019s overall platform is profitable and whether same-store revenue is still growing at offices it already owns. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noindex nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/planetdds.com\/newsroom\/2026-deep-dive-report\">The dental industry is splitting, with some practices growing more than 10% and others declining more than 10%<\/a>, so platform health can vary widely.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Who the private equity sponsor is, when the last fund was raised, and how that fund\u2019s timeline may affect recapitalization plans. A majority of DSOs expect their PE sponsors to increase acquisition activity in 2026, yet acquisition appetite does not always equal operational quality.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>What prior selling doctors say in off-the-record conversations without DSO representatives present, since candid feedback can be one of the most reliable information sources.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Whether the MSA contains a change-of-control clause that protects your equity terms if the platform is sold to another buyer.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Whether \u201cgood leaver\u201d and \u201cbad leaver\u201d definitions in the equity agreement appear reasonable, or whether the DSO can repurchase your equity at a steep discount for subjective performance reasons.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>What the management fee structure looks like in practice, including whether it is fixed, cost-plus, or escalates with collections, and whether that structure appears aligned with the services provided.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>California call-out:<\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noindex nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/beckersdental.com\/dso-dpms\/6-trends-reshaping-dso-activity\">DSOs are increasingly walking away from deals due to provider risk and clinical continuity issues<\/a>. Owners can also benefit from walking away from undercapitalized or poorly run buyers before closing, rather than after problems surface.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/contact-us\/\">Schedule a free, confidential discovery call with McLerran &amp; Associates to vet California DSO buyers and identify partners with a stronger track record of satisfied sellers.<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Step 7: Negotiate Terms That Protect Your Legacy and Team<\/h2>\n<p>The letter of intent, or LOI, sets the deal\u2019s key terms before formal contracts are drafted. Many of the most meaningful protections are either secured or lost at this stage, and terms that feel \u201cpreliminary\u201d can become difficult to change later.<\/p>\n<p>Prioritize the following in every negotiation, moving from financial protections toward operational and exit safeguards:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Push for non-punitive earnout terms, including pro-rata provisions so a near-miss on an EBITDA target still pays most of the earnout, a later start date to account for integration disruption, and EBITDA measured on a same-store basis with no corporate overhead allocated to your practice\u2019s profit-and-loss statement. These provisions can protect your contingent compensation from disruptions you do not control.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Negotiate floor protections that prevent earnouts from being reduced by buyer-initiated cost increases or operational changes. This approach can reduce the risk that the DSO erodes your earnout through decisions made after closing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Confirm staff employment terms, benefits, and compensation structures in writing rather than leaving them to post-close discretion. Protecting your team\u2019s continuity can help preserve the practice culture you built.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Secure a written boundary map that defines which functions remain with the practice and which functions the DSO will centralize. Clear boundaries can reduce post-close disputes over decision-making authority.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Review termination clauses carefully, including what happens to your equity if the partnership ends and under what conditions either party can exit. Understanding exit options in advance can be valuable.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Ensure product and lab pricing is governed by a current written fee schedule and that you retain a reasonable right to source independently. This protection can help prevent surprise cost increases that reduce your clinical margins.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>California call-out:<\/strong> Before accepting any contingent structure, many advisors suggest asking whether you would still feel satisfied with the cash-at-closing portion alone if rollover equity ended up worth zero and the earnout paid nothing. That discipline can help you avoid a deal that looks attractive on paper but delivers far less in practice.<\/p>\n<p>McLerran &amp; Associates negotiates LOI terms on the owner\u2019s behalf, including valuation, structure, earnout mechanics, and equity provisions, and provides quality-of-earnings support through diligence so the agreed value has a better chance of holding through closing.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion: Use a Structured Process to Find the Right California DSO Fit<\/h2>\n<p>The seven steps above create a practical framework for choosing a DSO partner in California with the level of care a once-in-a-career decision can warrant. Define your goals before any conversation begins. Verify CPOD compliance in every clause. Compare cash, JV equity, and holding-company equity outcomes across 3-, 5-, and 7-year horizons. Quantify autonomy in writing. Create competition through an auction-style process. Vet buyers like investments. Negotiate terms that protect your legacy, staff, and patients, not just the headline number.<\/p>\n<p>Owners who control the narrative around EBITDA, arrive with a diligence-grade valuation, bring a vetted pool of competing buyers, and work with a sell-side advocate who has structured many of these deals can be better positioned to find the right fit and outcome. Owners who negotiate alone, or with a generalist broker who knows only a few buyers, can be more likely to leave both money and protections on the table.<\/p>\n<p>McLerran &amp; Associates is a dental-specific sell-side M&amp;A advisory firm, with a Los Angeles office led by Steven Au that serves California premier-practice owners. The firm has guided owners through numerous practice sales, evaluated thousands of practices, and closed substantial transaction volume, with a transaction rate and valuation lift that often exceed what owners report achieving on their own.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/contact-us\/\">Schedule a free, confidential discovery call with McLerran &amp; Associates today and take the first step toward a California DSO affiliation process built on competition, clarity, and fit for your practice.<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What makes California DSO affiliation different from other states?<\/h3>\n<p>California enforces some of the strictest Corporate Practice of Dentistry rules in the country. SB 351, effective January 1, 2026, converted longstanding CPOD restrictions into binding statute that specifically addresses private equity- and hedge fund-backed DSOs, making any contract provision that allows interference with clinical judgment void and unenforceable. The California Attorney General has express authority to seek injunctions and financial penalties against non-compliant DSOs, and the 2026 enforcement action against a major national DSO, which resulted in $2 million in civil penalties and sweeping injunctive terms, signals that regulators are actively auditing existing arrangements. California also places significant limits on non-compete enforceability, which affects how post-close restrictions can be structured. Any DSO affiliation in California generally must rest on a compliant PC-MSO structure in which the dentist-owned Professional Corporation retains all clinical authority and the MSO handles only non-clinical operations.<\/p>\n<h3>How should I compare a cash-at-close offer against a deal with significant equity rollover?<\/h3>\n<p>Many advisors compare these structures by modeling outcomes across several time horizons, often 3, 5, and 7 years, under base, downside, and severe downside scenarios. Cash at close is certain, while equity rollover and earnouts are contingent. Rollover equity converts part of your proceeds into ownership units in the DSO platform, with value realized only at a future recapitalization or sale, which may be 3 to 7 years away and can produce outcomes ranging from strong multiples to write-downs, depending on platform performance. Earnouts are typically tied to post-close EBITDA or collections targets that the buyer controls after closing. A sound comparison usually includes the tax treatment of each component, since much of a DSO deal may qualify for long-term capital gains rates rather than ordinary income, and stress-tests whether the cash-at-close portion alone would feel acceptable if the contingent components paid nothing. McLerran &amp; Associates produces multi-year, multi-structure financial forecasts for each client engagement so owners can make this comparison with specific numbers rather than headline multiples.<\/p>\n<h3>How do I know if a DSO is financially healthy enough to be a good equity partner?<\/h3>\n<p>Evaluating a DSO as an equity partner often requires looking beyond the pitch deck. Helpful questions include whether same-store revenue is growing at offices the DSO already owns, what the management team\u2019s track record looks like across prior recapitalizations, who the private equity sponsor is and when their fund was raised, and what the actual management fee schedule shows in practice. Off-the-record conversations with prior selling doctors, without DSO representatives present, can provide some of the most candid feedback. You can also review the equity agreement\u2019s \u201cgood leaver\u201d and \u201cbad leaver\u201d definitions, the change-of-control clause, and the expected liquidity timeline. McLerran &amp; Associates vets buyers as investments, steering clients toward well-backed, well-run partners and away from undercapitalized or poorly run DSOs that the firm has removed from its buyer pool.<\/p>\n<h3>What is a realistic post-close autonomy expectation after a California DSO affiliation?<\/h3>\n<p>Post-close autonomy can vary significantly by platform and is often best evaluated and negotiated before the letter of intent is signed. Under California\u2019s CPOD framework and SB 351, DSOs must leave clinical decision-making with the dentist-owned Professional Corporation, yet in practice some platforms take a genuinely hands-off approach while others centralize scheduling, vendor relationships, and clinical protocols within 12 to 24 months of closing. The gap between what the law requires and what a specific DSO does in practice can be assessed by speaking with prior selling doctors off the record and by reviewing the MSA\u2019s language on scheduling control, staff authority, product and lab sourcing, and compensation structure. Any autonomy protection that appears only in verbal assurances rather than contract language should be treated as unprotected.<\/p>\n<h3>Why does running a competitive bid process matter more than finding the right DSO on my own?<\/h3>\n<p>Owners who approach a single DSO have limited leverage and little way to know whether the offer reflects fair market value or the buyer\u2019s preferred starting point. A competitive, auction-style process, in which multiple vetted buyers submit offers at the same time, can create market tension that improves both price and terms. McLerran &amp; Associates\u2019 process typically generates around 10 offers per listing over 45 to 60 days, and the firm reports an average valuation roughly 30% higher than owners often achieve selling on their own. Beyond price, competition can improve terms such as earnout mechanics, equity structure, autonomy protections, and staff commitments, because buyers know that other qualified bidders are waiting. The process also filters out poorly run buyers before they reach the table, so the finalists you meet are more likely to be partners worth serious consideration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Evaluate any California DSO affiliation with confidence. McLerran&#8217;s 7-step checklist helps dentists protect their practice, staff, and legacy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":237,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-238","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\/238","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=238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentaltransitions.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}