About
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After completing my undergrad studies at the University of Michigan, I graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry in 1983. I started a new practice in Plymouth, Michigan in 1987 and practiced full-time until turning over my practice to my associate in 2019. Since that time, I have focused full-time on dental transition consulting.
The Houlihan Group (THG) was started in 2000 when I realized there was a need for more effective dental practice transitions. Too often transitions were focused solely on monetary gains. I saw that dentists wanted the opportunity to sell their practice, leave on positive terms, and be confident that the new buyer would be providing the best care for their family of patients. I believe that there should be two winners in a dental practice sale, seller and buyer. There is a way for all dental transition to benefit both seller and buyer. That is why I started the Houlihan Group.
Since 2000, I have been involved in over 150 dental transitions. In addition to my consulting, I am a guest lecturer at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry each year. I routinely do webinars and seminars for the Michigan Dental Association and the local component dental societies. I have also written and published more than 14 articles on dental practice sales.
I became heavily involved in Forensic Dentistry after 9/11 and am currently the State Director of the Michigan Dental Association-Forensic Identification Team and Odontology Section Chief of MIMORT (Michigan Mortuary Response Team) for the State of Michigan.
It was clear to me that a dental practice sale was all about goodwill and that goodwill took different forms for buyers and sellers.”
The Houlihan Group was started in 2000 in response to my observations on how dental practice transitions were being handled. As a dentist, I could see a practice sale from both sides, both buyer and seller which gave me a unique perspective on the process. It had become obvious to me that most practice transitions at that time were structured to have one winner and one loser. I firmly believed then as I do now, that for any dental practice transition to be considered successful, it had to be two winners, both the seller and the buyer. If there both seller and buyer are not both winners then both will be losers in the long run because a dental practice sale is a sale of goodwill. If this goodwill is not transferred then the transition will not be a success.
It was clear to me that while a dental practice sale was all about goodwill, that goodwill took different forms for buyers than for sellers. Most selling dentists want to find the “right” dentist to turn their practice over to. The thought of “selling their practice” makes many dentists cringe. They want a successor that will carry on their legacy and make the practice even more successful under the direction of the buyer. They want to ensure that their staff and patients are treated well and with respect. Of course, they want to be fairly paid for the sale of their practice, but the sales price is often not the most important aspect when they choose their successor.
For practice buyers, the goodwill takes a slightly different form. They want to make sure that not only are they able to continue to provide the care that the patients of the practice are used to but to hopefully bring that care to new levels. Buyers want to make sure that the existing staff is not only competent but willing to stay with the practice after the transition to help with the goodwill transfer. Buyers also want to make sure that they are paying a fair price for the practice but for the most part, they are most concerned with how they see themselves in that practice and whether they can call that practice their dental home after the sale.
At the Houlihan Group, we are committed to facilitating dental transitions where both seller and buyer are winners. After 23 years and over 150 successful dental practice sales, we stay focused on this same set of values. We are dedicated to providing the education, help, and support necessary so that all parties in a dental practice sale end up happy, satisfied, and excited for their future.
ANGEL KLEIN
Born in a small town in northern lower Michigan, I made my move to metro Detroit after graduating from Northwood University in 1997 with majors in both Business Management & Accounting. I started my professional journey in sales and spent several years as a pharmaceutical rep until I made the move into the dental industry in 2008. I spent the bulk of my career as a reliable & trusted advisor to General Dentists & Endodontists as a senior territory manager in the endodontics division of a well-respected dental supply company.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to promote an all-tissue laser to General Dentists & Pediatric Dentists in all of Michigan & Indiana. In this role, I was able to further expand my professional network & strengthen my ties within the dental industry. Most recently, I was recruited by a DSO to help them grow their footprint in the local community. During that time, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Pat Houlihan, where we worked on opposite sides of a dental transition.
I quickly learned Pat is a man of high integrity who seeks the very best for his clients, most importantly defining a successful transition when an ideal “fit” is found for both parties. Through our business dealings, it became apparent to me that I shared his passion and I too wanted to be a reliable, trustworthy resource to dentists contemplating and/or navigating the emotional process of buying or selling a practice. It was then I decided to join forces with Pat to help the doctors we have been serving for decades achieve their goals, whether that be at the end or beginning of their careers.
The Philosophy & Values
At The Houlihan Group, we believe selling a dental practice should benefit both parties and both the seller and the buyer need to feel like they were treated fairly and with respect throughout the transition process. When I am asked to define a successful dental practice transition, I like to say that we cannot judge the true success of one of our transitions until a few years have passed. If the seller can drive by the office, drop in, talk to their old staff and patients, and then the seller and buyer go out to lunch as friends, then we can judge the dental transition as a success. That is how practice goodwill can be transferred from practice seller to practice buyer.
At THG we like to think we are different from most other dental transition specialists. It helps that we have an extensive dental background and have been both a practice owner, seller, and buyer. This gives us a unique perspective that most of our competitors do not possess. But we also think it runs a little bit deeper than just experience.
We like to use our list of values to make sure that we are always staying committed to dental practice transition success. To that end, we will always:
- Make sure that dental practice transitions that we are involved with be equitable and in the best interests of both the Seller and the Buyer
- Communicate honestly and openly with whomever we discuss a dental practice sale with buyer and seller alike.
- Treat every practice sale we are involved with the same level of care, respect, and level of detail, whether it is a $300,000 practice or a $2,000,000 practice
- Make sure that all decisions about the sale of a dental practice are left up to the seller and buyer. We can provide information, advice, and counsel, but the final decision is always up to the parties involved.
- Represent either the seller or the buyer but never both in a single transition. We will always be honest with all participants in a dental practice sale, but when it comes to representing a practice seller or buyer it is impossible to serve two masters.