Merger Does Double Duty: Stress Reducer & Exit Strategy

Rick Wides, owner of Bethesda Dental Laboratory in Gaithersburg, Maryland, was growing tired of the struggles of entrepreneurship. His dilemmas weren't unique: a shortage of quality technicians, collection problems, and feeling conflicted by the need to be at the bench and his desire to focus on lecturing. However, when his daughter was diagnosed with a serious illness last year, he knew he had to explore his options.

He started by placing a classified ad in LMT. "I love the work that I do. But I felt beaten up by the industry and I wanted to focus my energy on my family," he says. "So I was open to every available scenario--a buy out, a partner, a merger."

For Wides, the answer was very nearby: in neighboring Rockfille, Maryland. A local laboratory owner whom Wides didn't know responded to the ad and was interested in a partnership. The more they talked, the more Wides knew they would complement each other. While he was known for his implant...