Gentle Dental Purchase

L.A. Times Archives

Nov. 7, 1997 12 AM PT

(Dow Jones)

YORBA LINDA —

Gentle Dental Service Corp. said Thursday it has completed the acquisition of privately held GMS Dental Group Inc.

Gentle Dental issued 4.5 million shares of common stock to GMS shareholders, giving GMS owners a 49% stake in Gentle Dental after the company completes its pending acquisition of Dedicated Dental Systems Inc. in Bakersfield. Gentle Dental stock rose 13 cents to $14.63 a share on the Nasdaq market.

After the pending acquisitions, Gentle Dental’s network will include 60 locations with more than 210 dentists in California, Idaho, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington.

Michael Fiore, former president and chief executive of GMS, will be co-chairman, president and chief executive of Gentle Dental.

Dany Y. Tse, Gentle Dental’s chairman, president and chief executive, will be co-chairman and president of the company’s Clinical Services Council.

Grant Sadler, former chairman of GMS, will be vice chairman of Gentle Dental, which provides dental-practice management services.