New Chief Executive Named for Fledgling Dental Group

GMS Dental Group Inc., a start-up company that owns and manages dental practices, has hired a veteran health-care executive as its new chief executive and president.

Michael Fiore, 43, has served in executive positions at hospital operator American Medical International and most recently at Salick Health Care Inc. At Salick, he was chief operating officer and president of the company’s Comprehensive Cancer Centers Inc. subsidiary.

Fiore replaces Grant Sadler, GMS’ founder, who moves up to chairman.

Sadler said that Fiore was hired after a lengthy search to find an executive to lead the company in its aggressive growth strategy. Formed in October with $21 million in venture capital financing, GMS has acquired seven dental practices in California, Hawaii and Idaho.

“What we’re doing is consolidating dental groups,” Sadler said. “We’re acquiring practices and improving their efficiency and revenues.”

The plan, he said, is to bring the kind of efficient management to dental practices that has moved the medical field to greater profitability in recent years.

At its current rate, GMS would take in about $23 million in annual income, Sadler said. But several more acquisitions are being discussed, he said.