Dentrix Ascend Adoption Accelerates as Dental Practices Demand Simpler, Smarter Cloud Technology

AMERICAN FORK, UTAH (August 20, 2025) — Amid rising complexity, staffing shortages, and increased patient expectations, dental practices are turning to modern, cloud-based solutions to stay competitive. Today, Henry Schein One, which serves more than 48,000 practices in the U.S., and 90 percent of the top 50 Dental Service Organizations (DSOs), announced continued momentum, with monthly installations doubled year over year, for Dentrix Ascend (Ascend), the company’s native cloud platform built to simplify operations, scale across locations, and deliver a wholly more integrated patient experience.

“Ascend is now the clear market leader—delivering exactly what customers need,” said Brian Weatherly, CEO of Henry Schein One. “Customers see how far we’ve come and how fast we’re building, which is why installations have doubled in the past year. Practices understand that Ascend is the only true one platform: scalable, secure, and flexible.”
From private practices to DSOs, more dental teams are choosing Ascend to reduce technology overhead, onboard teams faster, and unlock smarter workflows through AI-powered capabilities and deep third-party integrations.

Ali Hyatt, Chief Customer and Growth Officer at Henry Schein One added, “we’re proud to partner with practices like Great Lakes Dental Partners, Fountain Square Dental Care, and Ethos who are all recent conversions using Ascend, not just to run their businesses, but to grow, modernize, and elevate care.”

Trusted by Growing Group Practices
Great Lakes Dental Partners (GLDP), supporting 27 practices across Illinois and Indiana, recently transitioned to Ascend as part of a strategic move away from on-premise software.

“We’d been using Dentrix Enterprise for eight years, but as our business evolved, it became clear that Ascend was the future,” said Khuzaan Screwvalla, Vice President of Technology at GLDP. “The move was an undertaking, with a fast-paced timeline. From inception to implementation in three months – it couldn't be done – we thought to ourselves. We faced challenges early on that required us to pause, recalibrate, and adjust our approach — but through persistence, collaboration, and a willingness to adapt, we were able to reach the finish line.”

GLDP completed its migration in four waves, with the final sites transitioning over a weekend and reopening on Monday fully operational. “By the last wave, the process was completely smooth,” said Screwvalla. 
With Ascend now in place, GLDP is leveraging advanced tools such as DetectAI and Voice AI to enhance diagnostics and streamline clinical workflows. These integrations, combined with the flexibility of a cloud platform, are helping GLDP continue to innovate while delivering a better experience for both patients and providers.

Supporting Success at Every Size
Fountain Square Dental Care in Cincinnati, Ohio, decided to hit “go” on Ascend this past July, and after using Dentrix for decades, the team embraced the cloud with confidence and clarity. The team trained together, paused operations for one day, and were fully live the next day, experiencing a seamless transition that set the tone for smarter workflows.

“I love my job and take pride in keeping the practice running smoothly. When we turned on Ascend, I felt confident knowing everything at our practice is safe, secure, and ready for the next day,” said Teresa Binkley, Office Manager, Fountain Square Dental Care. “Our practice is very change-oriented because we believe it’s the only way to grow. Diving in and embracing change with Ascend was the right move for us. It helps my team save about two hours every day, helping us all be more proactive, which is invaluable in a busy practice like ours.” 

Similarly, Ethos Dental Group, located in Munster, Indiana, has successfully leveraged Ascend and its integrated tools to transform its billing processes. With Eligibility Pro, the practice's insurance verification process has become much more efficient. 

Office Manager Debra Bafia explained that their insurance coordinator, who used to take an hour and a half to get through a single day's schedule, can now complete two-and-a-half days' worth of verifications in the same amount of time. This streamlined workflow has freed up valuable staff time, allowing them to focus on other critical tasks and improve the overall patient experience.

Bafia emphasized the value of the solution, stating, “Why wouldn’t you use what makes your job easier? With Ascend and Eligibility Pro, our insurance coordinator is a good four or five days ahead now. It’s no longer different companies’ faxes that they’re trying to decipher. It’s all the same, and that’s been an enormous benefit across the board.”

Built for Scale. Backed by Innovation.
Ascend’s centralized platform is built to grow with practices. From automating eligibility verification to supporting multi-location scheduling and digital forms, Ascend helps teams stay connected, reduce manual work, and provide a consistent patient experience at every location.

Henry Schein One continues to invest in Ascend’s roadmap, expanding AI-powered capabilities, deepening integrations within its API Exchange with more than 700 API endpoints and 6 billion annual API data requests, and enhancing onboarding and training resources to help practices ramp quickly. Most recently, the company launched Forms, a new fully integrated digital intake solution designed to make patient check-in easier and faster. With drag-and-drop customization, multilingual support, auto-populated fields from scanned IDs, and seamless chart integration, Forms streamlines every step of the intake process for both patients and providers.

Delivering Care That Moves Practices Forward
As the dental industry evolves, Ascend stands at the intersection of innovation and practical application, offering a streamlined, intuitive platform that helps practices meet today’s challenges while preparing for tomorrow’s growth.
To learn more about Ascend and see it in action, register for a live demonstration where you can hear directly from an Ascend customer. Click here to sign up and discover how Ascend helps practices thrive.