About Independence DSO

Lane Theriault is the CEO of Independence Dental, a highly unconventional DSO that is looking to partner with dentists across the US. He founded Independence Dental in 2020 in partnership with the Firmament Group, a private equity firm based in New York. Prior to launching Independence, Lane was a founder and director of a Canadian dental platform, 123Dentist, which started with only 13 clinics in 2017 and has since grown into the second largest DSO in Canada. Before he began working in the dental space, Lane was an investment banker with Citigroup where he first became exposed to the concept of DSOs.

Dr. Gelfand is a distinguished dental leader and clinician with a proven track record of success. As the founder of Dawson Dental Centres in Canada and former CEO of OneBridge Dental in Florida, he has overseen more than 50 dental practices across North America. Dr. Gelfand is also recognized for his contributions to the profession through mentorship, advisory roles, and dynamic speaking engagements focused on both clinical excellence and leadership. His clinical passions include full-mouth rehabilitation, implant dentistry, neuromuscular therapy, and airway-focused treatments—refined through advanced training at leading institutions around the world.

John has had numerous operational and business development roles over his career with a focus on healthcare. Previously, he was COO of ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, and prior to that was SVP of Operations and Business Development for Vision Group, a Lasik clinic consolidator across North America.

Curtis Smith has held various senior financial roles across the energy and technology sectors. Most recently, Curtis acted as CFO of Flurotech, a publicly traded technology company. Curtis has financed, launched and commercialized numerous multi-jurisdiction businesses over the past 10 years.

Nancy has over eight years of Accounting, Finance and Acquisition experience in DSO’s.  She has held various leadership roles and has a proven record of growing accounting teams while implementing processes and procedures to improve companies financial reporting and achieve business objectives.  Nancy also has experience in manufacturing and service industries.

Tina has held various HR leadership roles, serving nationwide employers in both a corporate and consulting capacity for nearly 20 years. She is certified by the Society for Human Resource Management as a Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and holds a Masters in Business and Industrial Management Counseling.

As a seasoned healthcare & dental performance leader Amanda joined our team in 2022. She has a passion for life and learning with over 14 years of various leadership roles, and a proven track record of producing high-performance teams and driving results. Most recently Amanda served as an executive leader for multiple firms in the DSO space.

Hughes has held numerous financial and operational roles over his career with a focus on healthcare. Prior to joining Independence, he was Director of Business Development at D4C Dental Brands, Director of Operations Development at ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, and in the Audit and M&A group at Deloitte.

Valerie is a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience in developing and executing strategic, cross-functional marketing campaigns. Working closely with key stakeholders, she has helped numerous brands achieve their marketing goals, leading to increased visibility and revenue. She has supported brands across a variety of industries including healthcare, personal finance, law enforcement and publishing.

Bio Coming Soon!

Lori brings more than 15 years of hands-on experience in dental billing, with a strong focus on revenue cycle management. Throughout her career, she has specialized in helping dental practices streamline operations and accelerate reimbursements. Lori is passionate about simplifying complex processes, proactively solving problems, and reducing the stress often associated with the financial side of dentistry. Whether she’s untangling insurance claims or optimizing billing workflows, Lori combines deep expertise with strategic insight to ensure practices get paid efficiently and accurately.