GMS Dental Group to Merge With Gentle

Fast-growing dental management company GMS Dental Group Inc. has signed an agreement to merge with a Washington-based company to create what is billed as one of the largest dental management companies in the United States.

Under terms of the tentative agreement, Gentle Dental of Vancouver, Wash., would issue about 4.5 million shares of stock to GMS shareholders, giving them a 47% stake in the merged company.

The transaction is expected to close by November.

Michael Fiore, president and chief executive of GMS, will become co-chairman, president and chief executive of Gentle Dental. GMS founder Grant Sadler will become vice chairman. Dr. Dany Y. Tse, Gentle Dental’s current chairman and CEO, will become co-chairman and chief dental officer of the merged company.

Gentle Dental said the combined company would have patient revenue of about $91 million.

GMS Dental has 22 locations with 100 dentists in California, Idaho and Hawaii. Gentle Dental has 37 locations with more than 110 dentists in California, Washington and Oregon.