American Securities Leads Recapitalization of Aspen Dental

NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, March 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- American Securities LLC, Ares Management, L.P., and Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. today announced that an affiliate of American Securities has entered into a definitive agreement to recapitalize Aspen Dental Management Inc. ("Aspen Dental" or the "Company") in partnership with the management team and funds affiliated with Ares and Leonard Green.  Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Aspen Dental is a leading dental support organization that assists dentists in providing a unique healthcare delivery model focused on affordable, high-quality and comprehensive dental services.  The dentists supported by the Company served approximately 1.2 million patients in 2014 through 481 locations across 29 states.  With approximately 6,000 team members and supported doctors, Aspen Dental is one of the nation's largest dental support organizations.

"We are proud of the tremendous care and compassion provided by the significantly growing number of dentists that Aspen Dental supports, and are excited about our new partnership with American Securities, a firm that we have known for over a decade, and the value they will bring to our commitment to be the leading dental support organization in the country," said Bob Fontana, Chief Executive Officer.  "We are also grateful for our long-term partnerships with Ares and Leonard Green, as well as both firms' continued commitment to the business." 

About Aspen Dental Management Inc.
Aspen Dental Management Inc. (ADMI) is a dental support organization that provides non-clinical business support services to independently owned and operated dental practices in approximately 30 states. This can include services and recommendations related to finding the right location, leasing, equipment, accounting and marketing. This model leaves independent, licensed practitioners free to concentrate on patient care.

To learn more about Aspen Dental practices and services, preview the Aspen Dental patient experience, get answers to general treatment questions, find a location, and schedule appointments, visit www.aspendental.com.  To learn more about careers at ADMI and Aspen Dental practices, visit http://aspendentaljobs.com.

About Aspen Dental Practices
Dentists and staff at Aspen Dental practices believe everyone has the right to quality, affordable oral health care. As one of the largest and fastest-growing networks of independent dental care providers in the U.S., local Aspen Dental practices – nearly 500 of them across 30 states – offer patients a safe, welcoming and judgment-free environment to address their dental challenges. Every Aspen Dental-branded practice offers a full range of dental and denture services – including comprehensive exams, cleanings, extractions, fillings, periodontal treatment, whitening, oral surgery, crown and bridge work – allowing patients to have the peace of mind that they are taken care of and protected, so they can focus on getting the healthy mouth they deserve. In 2014, Aspen Dental-branded practices recorded more than 3.4 million patient visits and welcomed nearly 750,000 new patients.

About American Securities LLC
Based in New York with an office in Shanghai, American Securities is a leading U.S. private equity firm that invests in market-leading North American companies with annual revenues generally ranging from $200 million to $2 billion and/or $50 million to $200 million of EBITDA.  American Securities and its affiliates have approximately $15 billion under management.
www.american-securities.com

About Ares Management, L.P.
Ares Management, L.P. (NYSE: ARES) is a leading global alternative investment manager with approximately $86 billion of assets under management and more than 15 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia as of December 31, 2014, pro forma for the acquisition of Energy Investors Funds on January 1, 2015. Since its inception in 1997, Ares has adhered to a disciplined investment philosophy that focuses on delivering strong risk-adjusted investment returns throughout market cycles. Ares believes each of its four distinct but complementary investment groups in Tradable Credit, Direct Lending, Private Equity and Real Estate is a market leader based on assets under management and investment performance. Ares was built upon the fundamental principle that each group benefits from being part of the greater whole.

About Leonard Green & Partners, L.P.
Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. is one of the nation's preeminent private equity firms with over $15 billion of private equity capital raised since inception. Founded in 1989, the firm has invested in over 70 companies with an aggregate value of over $85 billion in the form of traditional buyouts, going-private transactions, recapitalizations, growth capital investments, corporate carveouts and selective public equity and debt positions. Based in Los Angeles, California, Leonard Green & Partners invests in established companies that are leaders in their markets. For more information, please visit www.leonardgreen.com.

SOURCE American Securities LLC