The Smilist hits 100+ locations after joining forces with BrookBeam Dental in strategic Hudson Valley expansion

In a move set to reshape the dental care landscape across the Northeastern United States, The Smilist has announced its strategic affiliation with BrookBeam Dental, a regional dental partnership organization operating 16 locations across New York’s Hudson Valley. The development, confirmed on May 21, 2025, increases The Smilist’s operational footprint to over 100 practices, cementing its status as one of the largest dental support organizations in the region.

This alliance represents a pivotal moment in The Smilist’s ongoing expansion strategy and its commitment to delivering high-quality dental care with strong community roots. BrookBeam Dental, known for its patient-first approach and operational excellence, brings a complementary set of values and infrastructure that aligns with The Smilist’s mission of combining clinical excellence with consumer-centric service delivery.

Why Is the BrookBeam Affiliation Important for The Smilist’s Northeast Strategy?

The addition of BrookBeam Dental’s 16 locations not only marks a significant numerical milestone but also deepens The Smilist’s presence in a strategically important region. The Hudson Valley, with its blend of urban and suburban patient populations and growing healthcare demand, represents a prime opportunity for dental service providers seeking to scale without compromising on quality or patient experience.

Founded in 2014, The Smilist has grown rapidly over the past decade by acquiring or affiliating with practices that share its core values. This latest move, however, stands out due to the cultural compatibility and operational synergies between the two organizations. BrookBeam Dental’s established reputation in provider support and its local community engagement model enhance The Smilist’s existing capabilities, especially in a post-pandemic healthcare environment where patient trust and access are paramount.

The Smilist CEO Axel Lapica described the BrookBeam team as embodying the same values of clinical integrity and community care that define his company’s ethos. He emphasized that the partnership is expected to significantly enhance both operational efficiency and care delivery across the expanded network.

How Does This Partnership Reflect Broader Trends in Dental Support Organizations?

The U.S. dental care industry has seen a growing shift toward Dental Support Organizations (DSOs) as independent practitioners increasingly seek the scalability, administrative backing, and technology infrastructure offered by large networks. DSOs allow clinicians to focus on patient care while offloading burdens such as compliance, marketing, HR, and revenue cycle management to centralized teams.

In this context, The Smilist’s latest move mirrors similar affiliations seen across the country, as DSOs consolidate regional operations to build geographic density and clinical depth. The affiliation with BrookBeam Dental positions The Smilist to not only expand patient access in the Hudson Valley but also enhance clinical consistency and innovation through shared resources and best practices.

The increasing prevalence of DSO partnerships also signals how healthcare consumers have evolved. Today’s dental patients expect high standards of care, shorter wait times, access to insurance-friendly services, and increasingly, a seamless digital experience. DSOs that invest in infrastructure—such as appointment platforms, patient engagement tools, and telehealth-ready practices—are better positioned to capture these emerging expectations.

What Makes BrookBeam Dental a Strategic Fit for The Smilist?

BrookBeam Dental was founded with the vision of supporting clinicians while ensuring excellent patient outcomes. Over the years, it has built a network of 16 locations that have earned a loyal patient base through community trust and clinical consistency. Its operating model emphasizes empowering dental professionals with autonomy while providing backend support to drive efficiency.

According to Brett Fliegler, BrookBeam’s founder, the new affiliation will allow the existing teams and trusted doctors to continue serving patients without disruption, while leveraging The Smilist’s broader growth platform and infrastructure. The synergy is intended to create a unified but locally relevant patient experience, where high standards of care remain intact even as the organizational scale increases.

For The Smilist, acquiring a partner like BrookBeam helps fulfill its strategic vision of regional depth, enabling it to offer comprehensive dental services across a contiguous geography. This includes expanding service lines such as orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, and oral surgery across locations that may previously have offered only general dentistry.

What Does This Mean for Dental Patients and Providers in the Hudson Valley?

For patients, the affiliation promises an enhanced experience supported by more robust digital tools, scheduling convenience, expanded insurance options, and access to a broader range of dental specialties. The Smilist has a track record of investing in patient-facing platforms and maintaining clinical quality post-acquisition, easing fears often associated with large organizational transitions.

For providers, the move offers access to The Smilist’s shared services model, which includes HR, IT, procurement, compliance, and continuing education. Dentists and hygienists will be able to retain autonomy over their clinical decisions while gaining access to more sophisticated operational support. This can improve not only clinical workflow but also staff satisfaction and patient retention.

The broader community may also benefit from the group’s emphasis on local engagement. The Smilist has maintained community health initiatives and charitable outreach programs at many of its affiliated practices, and BrookBeam’s strong community roots are expected to reinforce these efforts.

How Has The Smilist Evolved Since Its Inception?

Founded in 2014, The Smilist set out to create a dental organization that could combine the professionalism of private practice with the operational strength of a scalable brand. Over the past 11 years, the organization has expanded into seven states and now supports more than 100 locations, staffed by over 1,700 employees. Its steady expansion has included both de novo openings and strategic affiliations.

The company’s focus on branding, patient satisfaction, and clinical excellence has positioned it as a model for emerging DSOs aiming to balance scale with service quality. It has also earned credibility within the industry for its ability to integrate new partners without disrupting the clinician-patient dynamic.

As the dental industry moves toward a more consolidated, value-based care model, The Smilist’s latest move underscores the role of DSOs in shaping the future of dental health in the U.S., particularly in underserved or transition markets such as the Hudson Valley.

What’s Next for The Smilist Following the BrookBeam Affiliation?

Looking ahead, The Smilist is expected to continue targeting affiliations and acquisitions that align with its values and expand its regional presence. With over 100 locations now operational and a proven integration model, the organization is well-positioned for deeper market penetration in the Northeast and potentially broader expansion into the Mid-Atlantic.

The Smilist’s leadership has not disclosed specific upcoming acquisitions, but the BrookBeam affiliation signals a continued interest in partnerships that bring geographic density, provider quality, and strong community rapport. The Smilist’s growth trajectory will likely be supported by ongoing investments in clinical innovation, digital engagement platforms, and enhanced training programs for its workforce.

As competition in the dental services sector intensifies, especially in urban-suburban interface zones like Hudson Valley, affiliations such as this will determine which brands succeed in maintaining both operational scale and local credibility.