Heartland Dental Care

Heartland Dental Care is a leading dental support organization in the United States, providing non-clinical administrative services to dental offices across the country. The company was founded in 1997 by Dr. Rick Workman in Effingham, Illinois, beginning as a single dental practice. From those early days, Heartland Dental built its model around partnering with independent dentists, allowing them to focus on patient care while Heartland handled the business side of operations.

Over the past five years, Heartland Dental has continued to broaden its reach, both by opening new supported practices and by affiliating with established independent dental offices. As of October 2025, the company supports more than 1,800 dental offices in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Its network includes over 3,000 supported dentists and a workforce of more than 20,000 employees. A notable milestone in Heartland Dental’s history came in 2018, when global investment firm KKR acquired a majority stake, bringing additional resources and momentum to the company’s expansion efforts.

Heartland Dental’s approach to growth includes entering new markets and modernizing existing locations, often through adaptive reuse projects. For example, the company recently renovated a former credit union in Jacksonville, Florida, transforming it into a dental practice. Similar projects have included the conversion of former bank sites, reflecting a flexible and creative approach to site selection and development. The company’s expansion has been especially active in Florida, Texas, California, the Midwest, and the Southeast, with a steady pipeline of new projects and affiliations.

Heartland Dental does not franchise its model but instead affiliates with independent dental practices, offering them operational support while maintaining clinical autonomy. This structure, combined with the company’s national scale and operational expertise, has helped Heartland Dental establish a reputation for stability and reliability in the healthcare real estate sector. The company remains headquartered in Effingham, Illinois, and continues to invest in both established and emerging markets, maintaining a growth posture that appeals to landlords, brokers, and developers seeking long-term, healthcare-focused tenants.