Southern Orthodontic Partners (SOP), a leading support organization for orthodontists, is excited to announce its expansion into the Greater Chicago area. This strategic move signifies a major step in SOP’s growth trajectory, extending its network into key Northern markets and reinforcing its commitment to partnering with premier orthodontic practices nationwide.
This expansion into Chicago is marked by a partnership with Petty & Bielik Orthodontics, a highly respected practice located in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Drs. William Petty and Kathryn Bielik, the principals of Petty & Bielik Orthodontics, bring over 50 years of combined experience and a strong reputation for exceptional patient care in Chicago’s southwest suburbs. Their decision to join Southern Orthodontic Partners underscores SOP’s appeal to established and trusted orthodontic specialists seeking collaborative growth opportunities.
Dr. Kathryn Bielik expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “I’m so thrilled to be partnering with SOP as they help support the future growth and longevity of Petty & Bielik Orthodontics. SOP has an amazing team dedicated to excellence in their organization and our practice. They have gone to great lengths to introduce us to key leaders and to make sure that our practice is a synergistic fit for the SOP platform.” This sentiment highlights the careful and considered approach Southern Orthodontic Partners takes in selecting and integrating new practices into its network, emphasizing mutual benefit and shared values.
Dr. Petty echoed this positive outlook, adding, “Joining Southern Orthodontic Partners was an easy decision. Working with people who are highly motivated to provide results that can be life changing in many ways for our patients, staff and ourselves is terrifically rewarding!” These testimonials from Drs. Bielik and Petty showcase the collaborative and supportive environment Southern Orthodontic Partners cultivates, attracting orthodontists who are passionate about patient care and practice development.
The partnership with Petty & Bielik Orthodontics represents a significant milestone for Southern Orthodontic Partners as it strategically expands its footprint in the dynamic Chicago market. With Shore Capital Partners, SOP’s private equity sponsor, based in Downtown Chicago, this expansion is also a homecoming of sorts. Southern Orthodontic Partners is actively seeking to build upon this initial entry, with plans to welcome more partner practices in the Greater Chicago area throughout 2024. This focused expansion demonstrates SOP’s strategic approach to growth, targeting key markets with strong orthodontic communities.
In 2023, Southern Orthodontic Partners experienced substantial growth, adding 13 new practices across 8 states. This expansion has broadened the SOP network to include 48 orthodontic practices with 85 locations across 13 states. This impressive growth reflects the value proposition Southern Orthodontic Partners offers to orthodontists: maintaining their practice identity and clinical autonomy while benefiting from SOP’s robust operational, administrative, and strategic support. This model allows partner doctors to concentrate on delivering exceptional clinical care and patient experiences, while SOP provides the resources and infrastructure for sustained growth and success.
About Southern Orthodontic Partners
Based in Nashville, TN, Southern Orthodontic Partners is dedicated to empowering orthodontic professionals. SOP provides comprehensive strategic, operational, and administrative resources to partner practices. This support framework enables orthodontists to focus on their core mission: providing the highest quality of clinical care. Partner doctors within the Southern Orthodontic Partners network retain their individual brand identities and practice autonomy, while leveraging SOP’s investments in growth initiatives, advanced technology, infrastructure, and human capital development. Southern Orthodontic Partners aims to be the premier orthodontic services provider by partnering with orthodontists who are committed to clinical excellence and delivering a first-class patient experience. For more information about partnership opportunities with Southern Orthodontic Partners, please visit www.southernop.com.
About Shore Capital Partners
Shore Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm with a focus on microcap companies across various sectors including healthcare, food and beverage, business services, industrial, and real estate. Shore Capital’s investment strategy centers on supporting management teams to accelerate growth and mitigate risk. They achieve this through capital investment, access to a high-caliber board and operational expertise, and a strong network for development and shared learning across their portfolio companies. Recognized as a top founder-friendly investor by Inc. Magazine for four consecutive years (2023), Shore Capital also consistently ranks highly by PitchBook for deal volume among U.S. private equity firms. Shore Capital targets investments in established, successful private companies with strong management, stable cash flow, and significant growth potential through strategic consolidation and organic expansion. With over $6 billion in assets under management and additional investment platforms, Shore Capital provides extensive business and operational services to its portfolio. For further details about Shore Capital Partners, including awards and investment platforms, please visit www.shorecp.com.
