Heartland Dental
Interested in selling your Heartland Dental NNN property or Heartland Dental ground lease property and wondering what you can get for it in today’s changing market?
Contact us for a complimentary broker opinion of value for your off-market Heartland Dental NNN property for sale or Heartland Dental ground lease property for investment, specifically tailored to support your 1031 exchange requirements. This valuable assessment will provide you with the clarity needed to make informed decisions regarding the sale of your Heartland Dental NNN property or the inclusion of a Heartland Dental ground lease property in your investment portfolio. As specialists in working with 1031 exchange buyers seeking off-market Heartland Dental properties, we are dedicated to delivering competitive offers with reduced fees to help you maximize your investment returns.
Number of locations
As of 2025, Heartland Dental supports over 1,700 dental offices across 38+ U.S. states, making it the largest Dental Support Organization (DSO) in the United States. The company provides non-clinical support services to a nationwide network of general dentists and specialists.
Revenue and income
Heartland Dental is a privately held company, so detailed financials are not publicly disclosed. However:
Industry estimates place annual revenue in the multi-billion-dollar range.
Heartland Dental consistently ranks as the largest and fastest-growing DSO in the U.S.
Revenue is driven by recurring patient visits, long-term dental care demand, insurance reimbursements, and diversified specialty services.
Future plans
Heartland Dental continues to focus on long-term expansion and operational growth through:
1. Continued office expansion
Heartland Dental adds dozens of new dental practices annually by:
Partnering with existing dental offices
Supporting new de novo dental locations
Expanding into underserved and high-growth suburban markets
2. Dentist partnership and recruitment
The company emphasizes:
Recruiting graduating dentists
Providing career paths for associates to become practice owners
Supporting dentists with administrative, HR, marketing, and billing services
3. Technology and operational enhancements
Ongoing investments include:
Practice management software
Digital patient records
Scheduling and billing automation
Data analytics for operational efficiency
4. Specialty care expansion
Heartland Dental continues to grow specialty offerings such as:
Orthodontics
Oral surgery
Endodontics
Pediatric dentistry
5. Long-term real estate strategy
Heartland Dental-backed practices typically operate in:
Medical office buildings
Retail healthcare locations
Purpose-built dental facilities with strong long-term occupancy
Corporate vs. franchise
Heartland Dental is not a franchise.
Dental offices are dentist-owned or dentist-led, not franchised.
Heartland Dental functions as a Dental Support Organization (DSO), providing non-clinical services.
Dentists retain clinical autonomy, while Heartland manages operations, staffing, marketing, and administration.
This model allows scalability while maintaining consistent standards and long-term stability.
Additional information about Heartland Dental properties
Founded in 1997 by Rick Workman, DMD.
Headquarters located in Effingham, Illinois, USA.
Backed by major private equity investment (including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts – KKR).
Heartland Dental supports tens of thousands of employees and dentists nationwide.
Dental practices are typically located in high-traffic suburban retail corridors and medical office settings, making them attractive for NNN and long-term lease investments.
Heartland Dental’s scale, recurring healthcare demand, and long-term practice partnerships reinforce its position as a market leader in the U.S. dental services industry.
Heartland Dental History
Heartland Dental was founded in 1997 by Dr. Rick Workman in Effingham, Illinois, with a vision to support dentists by handling non-clinical operations so they could focus on patient care. The company pioneered the Dental Support Organization (DSO) model, offering services such as staffing, marketing, billing, and technology support while allowing dentists to retain clinical autonomy.
Over the years, Heartland Dental expanded rapidly through partnerships with dental practices across the U.S., becoming the largest DSO in the nation. Today, Heartland Dental supports 1,700+ offices nationwide and continues to grow through strategic expansion, technology investment, and long-term dentist partnerships.
Why Invest in Ground Lease and NNN Lease of Heartland Dental?
Investing in Heartland Dental ground lease or triple net (NNN) lease properties offers attractive benefits due to the company’s scale, healthcare-focused business model, and long-term demand for dental services.
1) Heartland Dental NNN Property Investment: Stable Income
Heartland Dental-supported practices provide essential healthcare services with recurring patient demand, which supports consistent, long-term rental income for NNN property owners.
2) Heartland Dental NNN Property Investment: Established Tenant
Founded in 1997, Heartland Dental is the largest Dental Support Organization (DSO) in the United States, supporting more than 1,700 dental offices nationwide. Its size, operational scale, and long operating history help reduce tenant and vacancy risk.
3) Heartland Dental NNN Property Investment: Low Management Responsibility
Heartland Dental NNN and ground leases are typically structured so the tenant is responsible for property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and repairs, creating a truly passive, low-management investment for landlords.
4) Heartland Dental NNN Property Investment: Favorable Lease Terms
Dental facilities associated with Heartland Dental often operate under long-term leases—commonly 10–20+ years—with built-in rent escalations, offering predictable income growth and reduced lease rollover risk.
5) Heartland Dental NNN Property Investment: Strong Real Estate Fundamentals
Heartland Dental locations are generally situated in high-visibility suburban corridors, near residential communities and retail centers. The specialized build-out and steady patient traffic support long-term occupancy and make these properties attractive healthcare real estate assets.
Pros and Cons of Heartland Dental Ground Lease and NNN Lease Investment
Pros:
- Stable income supported by essential healthcare services with recurring patient demand.
- Large, well-established Dental Support Organization (DSO) with a nationwide footprint, reducing vacancy risk.
- Minimal landlord responsibilities under typical NNN and ground lease structures.
- Long-term leases with contractual rent escalations provide predictable income growth.
- Healthcare-focused properties in strong suburban markets support long-term occupancy and asset stability.
Cons:
- Lease renewal risk if a supported dental practice relocates or consolidates.
- Tenant performance may be influenced by local market competition and dentist retention.
- Limited landlord control due to standard NNN or ground lease terms.
- Specialized dental build-outs can increase re-tenanting costs if the space becomes vacant.
- Property values may fluctuate with interest rates, healthcare regulations, and broader real estate market conditions.
Just like any NNN investment, evaluating site demographics, lease structure, tenant financial strength, and long-term demand for dental services is essential when considering a Heartland Dental property.