Business Development & Sales Leadership
Gain Customized Guidance From Two Dental/DSO Sales & Business Development Experts!
We are eager to teach you...
✅ Secrets to growing revenue and driving sales that are specific to the dental and DSO industry
✅ Impactful communication skills to build confidence that drive conversations forward
✅ Build effective sales and lead generation strategies to get in front of decision makers faster
✅ Build a resilient growth-mindset with the likes of successful entrepreneurs and dental leaders
✅ How to improve your positioning to provide tangible value to the DSO or dental practice
✅ Understand the challenges within a DSO and become the solution
✅ How to build real trusting relationships that win you business
We have spent years on the inside building one of the most successful DSOs in the country, and now we are taking those secrets to you!
Our approach to business development and sales strategy is specifically focused on dental & DSO sales professionals who are passionate about increasing their professional skills and becoming more effective at driving growth.
I am Thomas Passalacqua, your certified executive and business leadership coach!
I have spent the last 10 years as a dedicated dental professional. From an award-winning sales consultant, to scaling a multi-million-dollar group practice, I have worked with some of dental's most accomplished leaders.
I am now using all my passion and experience to empower sales professionals just like you to ensure your success and hit your growth goals!
Join a supportive community of ambitious dental business owners, leaders, and entrepreneurs who are passionate about personal and professional growth, development, and advancement.
Evolve to becoming a trusted partner who offers solutions, resources, and real value!
A full-scope, developmental group program that provides insights, guidance, collaboration, networking, and support. Learn effective sales strategies directly from us and each other and find solutions to your most pressing growth challenges.
Join the Ascend Leadership Community!
What you can expect:
You'll be a part of a virtual community of all dental & DSO leaders, sales professionals, and vendors who are eager to both share and gain insider secrets to winning business with practices and groups! Each session is specifically designed to teach participants cutting-edge sales strategies, increase one’s impact on their customers, and improve leadership abilities for building confidence and influence. Gain these vital skills all while networking and collaborating with other top-tier industry professionals while you supercharge your business growth and drive results in rapid time!
Features of the Community:
Live workshop group sessions with recordings
Business Development Intensive sessions
Access to the full community and a private group chat
A robust curriculum lead by Thomas
Direct networking and collaboration with peer-to-peer learning
Interactive learning, breakout sessions, open Q&A
An in-depth Sales Strategy Assessment and a Sales Leadership Playbook
Topics include:
Effective dental industry sales strategies and business development tactics
Leadership and sales skills development
Building confident communication skills
Providing real value, effective solutions, problem solving, and building strong relationships
Understanding the DSO: Procurement systems, vendor success, pricing & contract negotiation, key relationships & strategic partnerships, purchasing decisions, implementation, and more!
This community is specifically formatted to navigate the challenges, overwhelm, and isolation that sales in the dental industry can bring. You will learn effective strategies to grow revenue, increase efficiency, simplify your sales process, and build powerful leadership skills. Learn lessons from other successful industry leaders, make meaningful connections and expand your network, promote your business and role, and gain opportunities for collaboration.
Members of the Leadership Community are engaged and committed to both their own and other member's success, we are intentional, supportive, and growth minded. There is a 6-month minimum commitment and members are expected to network and connect with each other.
My mission is to establish a deeply supportive community that delivers so much value is it one of the most significant and influential aspects of your personal and professional growth!
3 levels of membership to include all types of passionate dental professionals:
Entry Level
$200/month
Access to all Community members & Homebase
Recordings of all Community sessions
Opportunities to collaborate and promote your business
Access to private group chat
Signature Membership
$425/month
All Entry Level features
Access to biweekly live Community Sessions
Quarterly Strategic Planning sessions
Premium Membership
$525/month
All Signature Membership features
Access to biweekly private Business Development Intensive Sessions
Quarterly Dental & DSO Consulting
We work directly with dental & DSO sales companies and vendors who need a stronger and more effective sales & marketing strategy. Our approach is to help empower you to gain traction, make an impact, and drive results!
Two impactful options:
One 90-Minute Strategic Planning Session: A deep review to identify what is working and what isn't. Gain high-level guidance on effective initiatives that you can immediately start implementing.
6-Week BD & Sales Sprint: A robust, high-touch approach to establish continuous support and development in rapid time. Best for leaders and teams who need a refined strategy and process and are ready to grow!
One 90-Minute Strategic Planning Session
Six 30-Minute Weekly Implementation Sessions
6-month membership to the Leadership Community
Book a Free 30-Minute Business Development Clarity Call
On this call, we’ll uncover the sales challenges holding you back most and map what your success could look like!
Private Dental & DSO Sales Consulting
What you can expect:
You'll receive direct, expert oversight and advisement on your current sales approach and strategy. We work closely with your business development and sales leaders to uncover your challenges and refine where improvements are needed. We assess your systems, routines, and processes and look for where you can be more effective and impactful. You will learn proven strategies to be more successful in your sales and marketing approach.
Whether you are leading product, service, or tech sales, or new to the industry, our consulting is completely unique to your needs. The below two options are our standard offerings, we also can create a fully customized program for you! Simply reach out to us to start the conversation!
Meet our DSO partner expert! With more than 30 years of experience in the dental industry, Annette Martino has built a distinguished career spanning marketing, sales, procurement, vendor management, facilities, construction, and field operations.
Most recently, Annette spearheaded Operations & Procurement for a 120+ location DSO.
Her career has been defined by her ability to build strong relationships, negotiate effectively, identify opportunities for improvement, and successfully manage complex initiatives across the dental industry.
Meet Your Expert Mentors in Dental & DSO Sales Strategy
From 2018 through 2026, Annette Martino served in a key Field Operations leadership role with The Smilist, a growing dental support organization with over 120 locations. During her tenure, she was responsible for a broad range of operational functions across the entire footprint of the organization. Her responsibilities included procurement, vendor and landlord relationships, facilities management, construction and office buildouts, lease administration, credit card processing, invoice resolution, compliance, and support for new doctors and practice integrations.
Annette played a central role in negotiating vendor contracts and pricing, driving cost savings, managing construction projects and new office openings, overseeing property leases, and resolving the day-to-day operational challenges that arise in a multi-location dental organization. She also managed important compliance functions, including radiation permits and inspections, e-prescribing access, and other operational requirements. In addition, she supported the planning and execution of the annual Doctors Summit, including vendor sponsorships and funding.
Prior to joining The Smilist, Annette spent more than two decades in dental marketing and sales leadership. As Director of Marketing at Henry Schein Special Markets, she developed and executed comprehensive marketing strategies, managed a $1.5 million marketing budget, led marketing initiatives targeting specialized markets, and worked closely with customers, manufacturers, and internal teams to drive growth. Her accomplishments included increasing targeted-market product sales by 27% and generating significant revenue through successful new-product marketing campaigns.
Before Henry Schein Special Markets, Annette spent 14 years with Zahn Dental as Sales and Marketing Director, where she led marketing initiatives, developed promotional and direct-marketing programs, managed product marketing and communications, and worked closely with management and sales teams to align marketing strategies with business objectives.
Thomas Passalacqua is a certified Executive Coach who specializes in customized professional & leadership development. With a master’s in education, Thomas started his career as a founding teacher in New York City. He then transitioned into dental manufacturing sales, where he was an award-winning consultant who trained and mentored other sales professionals.
Transitioning again, Thomas was the director of business development for The Smilist, a growing dental group practice in the Northeast with over 100 locations where he led sales and marketing for mergers & acquisitions.
In his executive coaching and professional training platform, Ascend Professional Pathways LLC, he enables various industry leaders to gain clarity and improve their business leadership skills. His clients are empowered to reach the next level in their businesses and careers by overcoming doubts, fears, and uncertainty and making strategic decisions to better align with their goals.
As an accomplished dental industry professional, Thomas has witnessed too many businesses approaching a frustrating level of stress and overwhelm while trying to grow. Even if they have a successful and established team and strategy, running the initiatives can take its toll if they're struggling to hit goals. These programs are designed with both experience and strategy in mind!
“Thomas has a way of thinking about leadership that immediately elevates the conversation. Every interaction with him brings clarity, sharper perspective, and a deeper understanding of what it means to lead at a high level. He challenges you in the right ways and helps you see opportunities you might otherwise overlook. If you’re serious about growing as a leader, Thomas is someone you want in your corner.”
-Dr. Rehan Shahid, DDS, MSHM, MBA, FAGD
CEO & Founder of Shahid Dental Group | Practice Success Academy
Over the last 10 years as an accomplished dental sales professional, I have witnessed too many businesses approaching a frustrating level of stress and overwhelm while trying to grow. Even if you have an established strategy, running the initiatives can take its toll if you're struggling to hit goals. These programs are designed to generate clarity on how to best focus your energy and deliver the results you need.
The dental and DSO industries are rapidly advancing with more innovation and competition than ever. There are three main challenges that dental service and product companies are currently facing:
1: Traditional and social media marketing just doesn't produce the same results anymore on the intended end user. The dentist, DSO procurement directors, and owners themselves are all becoming numb to all of the marketing noise from every direction.
2: There is so much advancement and innovation, especially in technology, that it is increasingly difficult for the customer to keep informed on the changes, let alone make a decision.
3: There are so many options within the same category that paralysis by analysis is starting to take a real effect on the decision makers. Pricing also became one of the major factors that determines adoption. The customers are not as receptive as they once were.
With our guidance, we are providing solutions to these challenges. You will learn effective strategies to better engage with the customer, make an impact that drives conversations forward, and stand out against the competition!
Learn more about how dental professionals benefit from my business leadership on various dental podcasts, workshops, and programs here:
Read my recent article in Dental Entrepreneur about how my clients navigate their ambitions and achieve their goals:
Read my recent article in Dental Lifestyles Magazine about how dentists overcome self-limiting barriers in leadership:
