Dr. Jim Arnold, Founder and CEO of Foundation Dental Alliance

Foundation Dental Alliance

The Decisions That Define a Dental Career. You Shouldn’t Have to Make Them Alone.

Better decisions rarely come from one perspective. Foundation Dental Alliance brings together the people, experience, relationships, and resources dentists can draw on throughout their careers.

Built from 30+ years in dentistry, practice ownership, leadership, growth, and transitions.

Most dentists never say this out loud

Dentistry looks successful from the outside.

But behind the production numbers is a version of this career most people never see.

You’re leading a team without ever being taught how to lead. You’re managing anxious patients while carrying the weight of your own decisions. You’re expected to deliver clinically, run a business, develop people, make good financial decisions, and somehow know what to build next.

And as the practice grows, the questions don’t get simpler. Who do you trust? What deserves your attention? Is growth actually creating more freedom, or just more dependence on you?

Better decisions require more than experience. They require perspective, structure, and the right people around you.

The Alliance Difference

Why I Built the
Foundation Dental Alliance

“This is what I wish I’d had 25 years ago.”

I had seventeen mentors at one point, all teaching me something different. I spent decades piecing together the people, the frameworks, and the guidance I needed on my own.

Foundation Dental Alliance exists so dentists don’t have to do that the hard way. I’ve spent 25 years vetting the people now part of this Alliance, so you can draw on that experience from wherever you are in your career.

From graduation to growth, leadership, transition, and whatever comes next.

Video Transcript

My alliance is what I wish I'd had 25 years ago as a young dentist. It's really difficult to find the right mentorship, but what I've done is assembled a team that our niche experts across 25+ categories and we meet dentists where they are. It doesn't matter whether they're just starting out, it doesn't matter whether they're building scaling, exiting, they can finally do that on their terms with strategic frameworks, with trusted guidance that, again, I wish that I had had. I kind of piecemealed it. I had 17 mentors at one time and they were all teaching me different things. Well, I've spent 25 years vetting all of these incredible people in the industry who now, as part of the alliance, are making sure that dentists can navigate their entire career from graduation to retirement with clarity, with confidence, and with freedom.

Foundation Dental Faculty

Faculty Vetted Over 30 Years

Every faculty member in the Alliance was chosen for one reason: they’ve done what they teach. These are the practitioners, operators, and leaders Dr. Arnold has spent thirty years learning from, working alongside, and vetting personally. When you’re with Foundation faculty, you’re not listening to theory.

Paul Adamson, Founder & CEO, Lighthouse Training, Ltd

Paul Adamson

Founder & CEO, Lighthouse Training, Ltd

Leadership, Resilience & High Performance

Dr. Kathryn Alderman, Founder & CEO, Intelligent Care Alliance

Dr. Kathryn Alderman

Founder & CEO, Intelligent Care Alliance

AI Innovation, Automation & Digital Transformation

William Barrett, Esq., CEO, Mandelbaum Barrett PC

William Barrett, Esq.

CEO, Mandelbaum Barrett PC

Dental Transactions, Deal Structure & Legal Risk

Matt Brown, Co-Founder & CRO, Energize Group | Co-Host, Dental Unfiltered

Matt Brown

Co-Founder & CRO, Energize Group | Co-Host, Dental Unfiltered

Patient Growth, Case Acceptance & Practice Performance

Dr. Jeff Buske, Founder, Limitless Dentist Academy

Dr. Jeff Buske

Founder, Limitless Dentist Academy

Leadership, Life Balance & Owner Freedom

Valerie Dangler, RDH, BSDH, CEO, ValDent Solutions

Valerie Dangler, RDH, BSDH

CEO, ValDent Solutions

Clinical Systems, Hygiene & Practice Operations

Elijah Desmond, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Dental Pitch Brokerage

Elijah Desmond

Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Dental Pitch Brokerage

Dental Entrepreneurship, Relationships & Strategic Growth

Debra Engelhardt-Nash, President, Academy for Private Dental Practice | Co-Founder, The Nash Institute

Debra Engelhardt-Nash

President, Academy for Private Dental Practice | Co-Founder, The Nash Institute

Case Acceptance, Patient Experience & Team Performance

Dr. Romina Ferrera, Founder, Clínica BeYou

Dr. Romina Ferrera

Founder, Clínica BeYou

Cosmetic Dentistry & Clinical Entrepreneurship

Dr. Arun Garg, Founder & CEO, Garg Institute

Dr. Arun Garg

Founder & CEO, Garg Institute

Implant Surgery, Education & Entrepreneurship

Dr. Lincoln Harris, Founder & CEO, RipeGlobal

Dr. Lincoln Harris

Founder & CEO, RipeGlobal

Competency-Based Clinical Education & Global Training

Fred Joyal, President, The Fred Joyal Company

Fred Joyal

President, The Fred Joyal Company

Eight-Figure Entrepreneur, Bestselling Author & Boldness Expert

Ken Kaufman, MBA, Founder, AccruDent

Ken Kaufman, MBA

Founder, AccruDent

Dental Finance, EBITDA & Financial Architecture

Dr. Brett Kessler, 161st President, American Dental Association

Dr. Brett Kessler

161st President, American Dental Association

Fee-for-Service Dentistry, Leadership & Values-Based Culture

Dr. Debra King, Founder, Atlanta Center for Cosmetic Dentistry

Dr. Debra King

Founder, Atlanta Center for Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic Dentistry, Esthetics & Clinical Excellence

Dr. Thomas Larkin, Founder, Proactive Oral Wellness

Dr. Thomas Larkin

Founder, Proactive Oral Wellness

Oral-Systemic Health & Comprehensive Care

Brian Mans, CEO & Co-Founder, Foundation Dental Transitions

Brian Mans

CEO & Co-Founder, Foundation Dental Transitions

300+ Transactions & a $214M DSO Exit

Tim McNeely, CFP®, CIMA®, CEPA®, CPFA®, Founder & CEO, The Dental Exit Institute | VP & Wealth Advisor, Farther

Tim McNeely, CFP®, CIMA®, CEPA®, CPFA®

Founder & CEO, The Dental Exit Institute | VP & Wealth Advisor, Farther

Dental Wealth, Exit Planning & Financial Independence

Dr. Jared Williams, Founder, The JW Method

Dr. Jared Williams

Founder, The JW Method

Advanced Implant Surgery & Surgical Excellence

Dr. Joy Void-Holmes, RDH, Owner & CEO, Dr. Joy RDH Consulting

Dr. Joy Void-Holmes, RDH

Owner & CEO, Dr. Joy RDH Consulting

P3 Hygiene Growth System

Jennifer Turner, CEO, Hygiene Headquarters Inc.

Jennifer Turner

CEO, Hygiene Headquarters Inc.

Hygiene Growth, Team Performance & Practice Systems

Dr. Len Tau, General Manager, Dental, Birdeye | Host, Raving Patients Podcast

Dr. Len Tau

General Manager, Dental, Birdeye | Host, Raving Patients Podcast

Reputation, Reviews & Patient Growth

Gary Takacs, Founder, Thriving Dentist

Gary Takacs

Founder, Thriving Dentist

Fee-for-Service Growth & Practice Economics

Dr. Trent Smallwood, Aesthetic Dentist, Centre for Contemporary Dental Concepts

Dr. Trent Smallwood

Aesthetic Dentist, Centre for Contemporary Dental Concepts

Advanced Aesthetics & Clear Aligners

Dr. Yuliya Salmeron, Endodontist & Owner, Edge Endodontics

Dr. Yuliya Salmeron

Endodontist & Owner, Edge Endodontics

Practice Growth, Burnout & Personal Freedom

Dr. Eric Roman, Founder, joyFULL Growth

Dr. Eric Roman

Founder, joyFULL Growth

Dental Associate Growth, Leadership & Culture

Dr. Sonya Reddy, Founder, FLO Academy

Dr. Sonya Reddy

Founder, FLO Academy

Airway, Sleep & Sustainable Performance

Dr. Steve Rasner, Founder, Rasner Institute

Dr. Steve Rasner

Founder, Rasner Institute

40+ Years of Fee-for-Service Proof

Dr. Dar Radfar, Founder, Rad Health Inc.

Dr. Dar Radfar

Founder, Rad Health Inc.

Sleep Dentistry, Airway & Practice Growth

Dr. Avi Patel, Founder & CEO, Clear Aligner Advisor

Dr. Avi Patel

Founder & CEO, Clear Aligner Advisor

Clear Aligner Implementation & Practice Growth

Matt Ornstein, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Dental Pitch Brokerage | Co-Owner, Oak Dental Partners

Matt Ornstein

Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Dental Pitch Brokerage | Co-Owner, Oak Dental Partners

80+ Dental Practices Built, Acquired & Operated

Jill Nesbitt, CEO, Optimize Dental Consulting

Jill Nesbitt

CEO, Optimize Dental Consulting

Technology Integration Across Dental Groups

Dr. Ross Nash, Co-Founder, The Nash Institute

Dr. Ross Nash

Co-Founder, The Nash Institute

AACD Lifetime Achievement & Cosmetic Dentistry

Eric J. Morin, MBA, Founder & President, Tower Leadership

Eric J. Morin, MBA

Founder & President, Tower Leadership

Enterprise Value, Scale & Owner Independence

Milos Miladinovic, Founder, Dental Lab Miami

Milos Miladinovic

Founder, Dental Lab Miami

Master Dental Ceramics & Digital Photography

Meet the Full Faculty

Four ways to move forward

Four paths. One alliance.

Dr. Jim Arnold recording the Foundation Dental Podcast with a guest in the studio

Foundation Dental Intelligence

Good decisions start with better information and broader perspective. Foundation Dental Intelligence brings together the Foundation Dental Podcast, newsletter, blog, and articles. Different formats, different voices, one purpose: ideas and insight you can actually use when the next decision is yours.

Ideas. Insights. Better decisions.

See What Foundation Dental Intelligence Publishes

Free. One subscription. Everything.

Small group peer discussion around a strategy table, Foundation Dental Mastermind

Foundation Dental Mastermind

You're producing well. Your practice is running. But you're still the ceiling, and somewhere in the back of your mind you know it. This path is for established owners who want better systems, stronger leadership, and a membership that actually challenges how they think - not coaching, but implementation.

Build the practice. Remove the bottleneck.

See How the Foundation Dental Mastermind Works

Application-based. Not open enrollment.

Dubai marina skyline at golden hour, Luxury Dental Retreats

Luxury Dental Retreats

It's hard to see your practice clearly when you're inside it every day. This path is for dentists who want high-level conversations, strong continuing education, and relationships with people who challenge how you think. Over five days, education, experiences, meals, and time together create something a traditional conference can't: real access to accomplished people and enough time to get past the surface of the questions that matter.

Perspective. Peers. Destinations worth the trip.

See What Happens Inside Luxury Dental Retreats

Small group. Intimate setting. Curated experiences.

Two professionals in a confidential one-on-one discussion, Foundation Dental Transitions

Foundation Dental Transitions

I had great advisors my entire career. What I didn't have was the right representation at the moment it mattered most. That's the difference between a good outcome and the best one. Most dentists wait too long. By the time they're ready to talk, they've already lost leverage - less time to improve, less time to increase value, less control over who they partner with.

Clarity before the deal. Leverage at the table.

See How Foundation Dental Transitions Protects Your Exit

Confidential. No pressure. Both sides of the table represented.

Built on Experience

Built on experience, not theory.

30+

Years

Clinician, multi-practice owner, DSO executive, and national educator. Thirty years of firsthand experience across every stage of a dental career.

31%

EBITDA

Achieved across his own multi-location practice group. Proof that the right systems, culture, and leadership structure change what a practice actually takes home.

39%

Avg. Increase

Average daily production increase among dentists he directly mentored as VP of Clinical Services. Better dentists. Better communicators. Better leaders.

60+

Transitions

Practice acquisitions and exits facilitated. Private buyers, DSO partnerships, and corporate transactions, from both sides of the table.

I lost $15 million in 45 seconds.

Since then, I’ve helped a lot of dentists navigate their transitions and end up on the right side of the deal. I can’t change what happened to me, but I can use what I learned to help make sure it doesn’t happen to someone else.

Dr. Jim Arnold

Hear the $15 Million Story →

Foundation Dental Intelligence

Your Source for Dental Leadership, Strategy, and What’s Next.

Four ways we deliver the insights that move your practice forward.

Foundation Dental Articles No. 3, What Changed When Dr. Dua Farhoud Said Yes to Dubai, by Dr. Jim Arnold.

Articles

First-Principles Thinking for Modern Dentistry

Read it.

One subscription. Everything.

Subscribe to Foundation Dental Intelligence

Foundation Dental Advisory Board

Guided by Experience. Focused on Impact.

Business leaders, executives, and experienced advisors across legal, financial, operational, and technology disciplines who help shape where Foundation Dental Alliance goes next.

Dr. Gerilyn Alfe, Founder & CEO, Get Ahead Coaching

Dr. Gerilyn Alfe

Founder & CEO, Get Ahead Coaching

William S. Barrett, CEO, Mandelbaum Barrett PC

William S. Barrett

CEO, Mandelbaum Barrett PC

Kim Diamond, President & GM, Dentalhitec Americas

Kim Diamond

President & GM, Dentalhitec Americas

Greg Essenmacher, CEO & Founder, GnA Consult

Greg Essenmacher

CEO & Founder, GnA Consult

Robert Hayman, CEO, Perimetrics, Inc.

Robert Hayman

CEO, Perimetrics, Inc.

Brett Jackson, Western US Sales Director, TRI Implants

Brett Jackson

Western US Sales Director, TRI Implants

Ian Miller, Fractional Chief Revenue Officer

Ian Miller

Fractional Chief Revenue Officer

Karan Nijhawan, Founder, The Retreats Guy

Karan Nijhawan

Founder, The Retreats Guy

Matthew Petchel, CEO, Brand Target

Matthew Petchel

CEO, Brand Target

Travis Rodgers, Silicon Valley Technology Pioneer

Travis Rodgers

Silicon Valley Technology Pioneer

John Stamper, Founder, John Stamper Media

John Stamper

Founder, John Stamper Media

Dr. Tony Stefanou, CEO & Founder, Connect the Dents

Dr. Tony Stefanou

CEO & Founder, Connect the Dents

Michael Stevens, SVP, Commercial Operations, Perimetrics

Michael Stevens

SVP, Commercial Operations, Perimetrics

Nancy Lashley Sullivan, Founder, Athena Marketing

Nancy Lashley Sullivan

Founder, Athena Marketing

Karen Winkle, President & Founder, Phoenix Dental Consultants

Karen Winkle

President & Founder, Phoenix Dental Consultants

Meet the Full Advisory Board

Questions About the Alliance

Common Questions. Straight Answers.

Who is Foundation Dental Alliance for?

Foundation Dental Alliance is built for dentists and dental professionals who want to make better decisions about their careers, practices, and what comes next. Where you start depends on what you’re trying to solve.

What makes Foundation Dental Alliance different?

It’s built by an operator who has owned, scaled, and transitioned practices, not a consultant working from the outside. Every framework, faculty member, and program inside the Alliance comes from thirty years of firsthand experience in the chair, in the boardroom, and on both sides of the transition table.

How do I know where to start?

Most people start with Foundation Dental Intelligence, because it’s free and it’s where the thinking lives. If you’re an established owner who has outgrown your own systems, the Mastermind is the next step. If you want the education and the relationships in the same place, that’s Luxury Dental Retreats. And if a transition is anywhere on your horizon, start that conversation early, because timing is leverage. If none of that is obvious yet, get in touch and we’ll help you work out which one fits.

Your Next Move

Where you go next
should be intentional.

Foundation Dental Alliance exists to help dentists make better decisions about what comes next. If you already know what you need, there’s a path here. If you don’t, start with a conversation.

Start a Conversation