PennWest Clarion SBDC Client Success Story
A Bright Smile for Knox: Rooted Dental P.C. Reopens Closed Dental Practice

Rooted Dental opened in Knox on July 8th, continuing a legacy of care in the community. Dr. Jonathan Mealy always dreamed of opening his own dental practice to serve his native community. Dr. Mealy journey to dentistry began at North Clarion High School. He studied biology at Clarion University before earning his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. He started practicing dentistry in 2014 in PA and most recently worked for Henninger Dental and Associates in Dubois and Brookville for the past eight years, honing his skills to open his own practice.

“I was able to start my own dental practice and wouldn’t have been able to do that without their help.”

Jon originally planned to establish a new practice in Clarion. With this idea in mind, he reached out to the PennWest Clarion SBDC where he received assistance from SBDC consultant, Amy Keth. At the initial consulting meeting, Amy was able to inform him of the opportunity for purchasing a dental practice for sale in Knox and connect him with the sellers. The practice in Knox was listed at an affordable price, and there were no other dental practices within the Knox area, giving Dr. Mealy a competitive advantage. The opportunity to acquire an established practice at an affordable price changed the course of his journey, leading Dr. Mealy to serve in Knox instead.

Starting a dental practice – whether from scratch or by acquiring an existing one – requires careful planning and significant financial investment. Dr. Mealy faced several key challenges including creating a solid business plan to guide operations and secure funding. In addition, finding financial support to cover startup costs, equipment, building renovations and evaluating the opportunity in Knox to ensure it was a sound investment. Fortunately, Dr. Mealy had Amy Keth to assist him through this whole process.

Amy helped Dr. Mealy develop a comprehensive business plan, which included market research, financial projections, a competitive analysis, and an overview of the dental industry. Amy identified financing opportunities and assisted Dr. Mealy in securing a grant from the McElhattan Foundation to support the practice’s purchase and startup costs. Dr. Mealy benefited from an affordable purchase price, allowing for additional investment in technology and services. Additionally, he gained a strong foundation for growth, with a clear financial and operational roadmap.