April 22, 2025
Straine Dental Management (SDM), one of the most distinctive and sought-after operators in the Dental Services Organization (DSO) space, today announced its expansion into Maryland with the strategic acquisition of Clarksburg Dental Center in Germantown. This milestone marks SDM's entry into its 16th state, underscoring the company's accelerating nationwide growth and unmatched ability to identify and partner with exceptional dental practices.
Clarksburg Dental Center, led by the distinguished team of Dr. Edmund Liu and Dr. Chung Lin—both featured clinicians in Dental Town magazine—represents the caliber of practice excellence that has become synonymous with the Straine network. The practice is renowned for its patient-first approach and clinical expertise that perfectly aligns with SDM's rigorous partnership criteria.
"Our expansion into Maryland represents more than just geographic growth—it reflects our commitment to partnering with truly exceptional practitioners who share our vision for transforming dental care delivery," said Kerry Straine, CEO at Straine Dental Management. "What sets Drs. Liu and Lin apart is not just their technical expertise, but their genuine passion for improving patients' lives, making Clarksburg Dental Center an ideal flagship for our Maryland operations."
Unlike traditional DSOs that focus primarily on financial metrics, SDM's proprietary practice optimization model has revolutionized how dental practices operate, consistently delivering improvements in operational efficiency while enhancing patient satisfaction. This distinctive approach has made SDM the partner of choice for discerning practice owners seeking both autonomy and unprecedented growth.
"At the start of my career, my focus was on providing the best clinical care for patients," explains Dr. Liu in Dental Town Magazine. "Over time, my philosophy has evolved. Now, I want to provide the best possible overall experience—not just clinical care. That means thinking about every little detail, from how our website looks, to the first phone call, to how patients feel when they walk into the office, how we escort them to the clinical area and even how we follow up afterward. It's all about creating a seamless, positive experience from start to finish." This comprehensive approach to patient care perfectly aligns with SDM's holistic practice management philosophy, making the partnership a natural fit.
What began as a visionary practice management consultancy three decades ago has evolved into Straine Dental Management—an industry-transforming force that's redefining excellence in dental practice operations across North America. While traditional DSOs often standardize at the expense of practice identity, SDM's revolutionary approach preserves each practice's unique culture while implementing its comprehensive suite of proprietary systems—spanning advanced analytics, precision accounting, strategic consulting, talent acquisition, performance optimization, and innovative human resources solutions.
The Clarksburg acquisition comes amid SDM's strategic expansion phase, which has seen the company double its practice network in just 36 months—a growth trajectory unmatched in the dental management sector. Industry analysts have repeatedly recognized SDM's ability to identify high-potential practices and dramatically enhance their performance through implementation of its proprietary management systems.
For more information about Straine Dental Management's revolutionary approach to dental practice optimization, visit https://straine.com/.
About Straine Dental Management (SDM)
Straine Dental Management evolved from a thirty-year practice management and strategic services organization working with thousands of dental practices to a nationally recognized leader in dental services to practice owners and emerging DSOs across the U.S. and Canada. By offering a comprehensive suite of services, including accounting, analytics, consulting, human resources, performance management, and recruiting, SDM empowers its partners to focus on what matters most: patient care.