CASE
STUDIES

Supported CFO in analysis of 10+ M&A transactions

Implemented new, comprehensive budgeting processes for 30+ practices

Provide ongoing monthly reporting and quarterly Board of Directors’ presentation

Context:With 73% of dental practices independently owned, many dentists seek to sell their practices as they approach retirement or aim to reduce the burdens of business ownership. The Client steps in to acquire these transitioning practices, centralizing operations, and introducing efficiencies. By removing the managerial responsibilities from dentists, the Client allows them to focus on their clinical expertise and enhancing patient care.
Problem: As a PE-backed Dental Support Organization, the Client’s success relies on the quality of its acquisitions and the performance of its practices. However, managing complex M&A and budgeting activities for its practices posed a challenge. Lacking the internal capacity to handle these critical functions, the Client needed a reliable partner to streamline these processes and provide accurate insights.
Solution: The Client partnered with DBA to fulfill their finance function needs. Through our partnership, DBA developed a proprietary acquisition analysis template for evaluating potential dental practice opportunities while also actively analyzing ongoing deals. This included conducting detailed P&L analysis, EBITDA and investment calculations, maintaining broker communications, and providing holistic assessments of acquisition opportunities. Additionally, DBA implemented advanced budgeting templates, drafted monthly financial reports, and contributed on quarterly board presentations to ensure thoughtful forecasting and effective financial performance monitoring.
Impact: DBA’s strategic partnership empowered the Client to efficiently analyze over 10 M&A transactions, develop detailed financial forecasts for their 2025 budget, and deliver impactful reports and board presentations. This collaboration enabled the Client to focus on enhancing their practices and patient care while avoiding the significant costs of building in-house financial capabilities, delivering the critical functionality for operational excellence.
Testimonial: "DBA brings professionalism, functional expertise, and a proactive approach to every engagement. Their ability to anticipate our needs and deliver high-quality insights has made them an invaluable partner in our growth journey.“ – CFO

Supported C-Suite in a successful $75M+ fundraising effort

Modeled business expansion across states & locations

Analyzed partnership with Sovereign Entity in Middle East

Context:Conventional healthcare approaches have remained stagnant, failing to evolve with medical advancements. Notably, 90% of the nation’s $4.5 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures are for people with chronic and mental health conditions, underscoring the need for a more proactive approach. The Client, a multidisciplinary health and wellness-based practice, aims to integrate state-of-the-art medical technology, predictive testing, and a personalized approach to optimize patient care and advance the future of medicine.
Problem: Faced with ambitious expansion plans, the client encountered critical challenges, including evaluating growth opportunities, projecting financial viability, and securing necessary funding. Beyond just data, they required a strategic financial framework, actionable insights, and professionally crafted materials to engage investors and grow their vision.
Solution: Driven by our collaboration, DBA was able to deliver a robust financial model that evaluated the profitability of expansion initiatives, including a detailed analysis of a potential partnership with an overseas entity. Additionally, DBA elevated their financial reporting and investment presentations, equipping them with polished, investor-ready materials essential for securing the funding needed to drive their ambitious expansion.
Impact: Through our financial analysis and investor materials, the client successfully secured over $75M in funding, enabling them to double their current operations, expand into a new state, and engage in discussions for a novel partnership with a sovereign Middle Eastern entity. With more capital and a clear vision, the client is now well-positioned to enhance patient outcomes and drive meaningful advancements in the healthcare space.
Testimonial: “DBA’s team went above and beyond to guide us through a pivotal time. They brought clarity, expertise, and unwavering support, helping us through our fundraising efforts, operational improvements, and turning our vision into a reality. We couldn’t have done it without them.“ – CEO

Supported CEO in negotiating $10M venture debt facility

Assisted company through a major business model transition

Provided key financial updates to CEO for effective performance oversight

Context:Running a successful dental practice is no easy feat. Dentists juggle providing top-notch patient care, managing staff, meeting ongoing education requirements, and running a business—all while navigating the fragmented and often inefficient dental procurement space. The Client, a visionary leader in dental supply innovation, sought to eliminate these challenges by becoming the one-stop-shop for all dental supply needs. Their business combines streamlined procurement with the cost advantages of a large dental wholesaler, redefining the future of dental procurement.
Problem: To better serve its customers, the Client made the strategic decision to transition to a subscription-based business model. Such a significant shift came with a lot of questions from investors and lenders, which required comprehensive analysis, reevaluating the company’s financial strategy to align with its new business model while also potentially needing to secure a venture debt facility to ensure sufficient liquidity to support rapid growth.
Solution: The Client partnered with DBA to bring clarity and structure to their business model transition. DBA developed a high-fidelity operating model and provided strategic guidance on structuring their venture debt facility, ensuring their ability to meet repayment obligations. These tools delivered actionable insights, real-time progress tracking, and impact assessments, empowering the Client to make informed decisions, refine strategies, and confidently engage with stakeholders.
Impact: DBA enabled the Client to successfully navigate a transformative business model transition, providing the financial clarity and strategic support needed to thrive during a pivotal moment. By delivering actionable insights and tailored financial tools, DBA also positioned the Client to secure a $10M venture debt facility, preserving equity and strengthening their path towards sustainable growth.
Testimonial: “DBA was instrumental in helping us navigate an exciting business transition. Their expertise and hands-on support made a complex process manageable, consistently providing practical solutions and high-quality work that kept us on track and gave us confidence in our decisions.” – CEO

Successful $3M Seed Round raise

Strategic advisor to client through entire funding process

Created financial model and presentation for investors

Context:The safety of schools and children remains a critical societal priority, demanding innovative and effective solutions. The Client, a Texas-based venture, rose to the challenge by developing a groundbreaking active shooter alert system designed to protect students and support first responders during critical situations.
Problem: The Client successfully engineered and pilot-tested their product but lacked the funding needed for large-scale manufacturing and market entry. While their executive team, with expertise in military and sensor technology, had an exceptional mix of skills to develop this critical innovation, they lacked the financial expertise to navigate the complex process of raising the necessary capital to bring their vision to life.
Solution: The Client partnered with DBA to provide necessary financial expertise, facilitating investor discussions and ensuring financial clarity. During the engagement, DBA developed a comprehensive financial model to understand the company’s unit economics and project profitability, aided in creating an investor story, offered deal structuring advice, and engaged with investors on behalf of the Client’s interests.
Impact: Throughout the engagement, DBA provided the Client with the confidence and financial expertise needed to secure funding, enabling them to successfully negotiate a $3 million funding deal with favorable terms from multiple venture partners. As a result, they were enabled to kickstart production of their potentially life-saving product, advancing efforts to ensure the safety of our schools and children.
Testimonial: "Working with DBA was like having a trusted co-pilot through one of the most critical times in our journey. They handled the financial complexities we couldn’t, giving us the confidence to secure the funding we needed. Thanks to them, we can focus on our mission—protecting schools and saving lives.“ – CEO & Founder

Testimonials

“DBA brings professionalism, functional expertise, and a proactive approach to every engagement. Their ability to anticipate our needs and deliver high-quality insights has made them an invaluable partner in our growth journey.“
DBA Impact:
  • Supported CFO in analysis of 10+ M&A transactions
  • Implemented new, comprehensive budgeting processes for 30+ practices
  • Provide ongoing monthly reporting and quarterly Board of Directors’ presentation
CFO of a dental support organization
CFO of a dental support organization(PE-owned)
“DBA’s team went above and beyond to guide us through a pivotal time. They brought clarity, expertise, and unwavering support, helping us through our fundraising efforts, operational improvements, and turning our vision into a reality. We couldn’t have done it without them.“
DBA Impact:
  • Supported C-Suite in a successful $75M+ fundraising effort
  • Modeled business expansion across states & locations
  • Analyzed partnership with Sovereign Entity in Middle East
CEO of a leading-edge primary care provider
CEO of a leading-edge primary care provider(Founder-led)
“DBA was instrumental in helping us navigate an exciting business transition. Their expertise and hands-on support made a complex process manageable, consistently providing practical solutions and high-quality work that kept us on track and gave us confidence in our decisions.”
DBA Impact:
  • Supported CEO in negotiating $10M venture debt facility
  • Assisted company through a major business model transition
  • Provided key financial updates to CEO for effective performance oversight
CEO of a dental procurement company
CEO of a dental procurement company(VC-backed)
"Working with DBA was like having a trusted co-pilot through one of the most critical times in our journey. They handled the financial complexities we couldn’t, giving us the confidence to secure the funding we needed. Thanks to them, we can focus on our mission—protecting schools and saving lives.“
DBA Impact:
  • Successful $3M Seed Round raise
  • Strategic advisor to client through entire funding process
  • Created financial model and presentation for investors
CEO & Founder of an Evacuation Routing Company
CEO & Founder of an Evacuation Routing Company(VC-backed)

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Leslie Gilmartin

Leslie Gilmartin

Advisor, Audit & Controllership

Leslie Gilmartin, CPA is a senior finance and accounting executive with more than 30 years of experience spanning audit, controllership, consulting, and corporate accounting leadership. As an independent consultant for over two decades, she has partnered with companies to enhance compliance, streamline operations, and strengthen internal controls. Her consulting expertise includes Sarbanes-Oxley audits, compliance projects, financial reporting, capital budgeting, and restructuring of complex legal and financial reserves, often driving multimillion-dollar improvements and significant cost savings.

Earlier in her career, Leslie held leadership roles as Controller at Commvault (NASDAQ: CVLT), where she managed all core financial operations and guided ERP implementation, and as Manager of Corporate Accounting at Sony Corporation of America, where she directed financial statement preparation for 20 U.S. subsidiaries and supervised the corporate accounting department. She also gained valuable experience in audit roles with PwC and KPMG, serving both Fortune 500 and private clients across sectors such as technology, utilities, publishing, and municipal government.

Leslie holds a Master of Business Administration from Babson College’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics from Merrimack College. She is an active Certified Public Accountant and is based in New Jersey.

Sandberg Picture

Svetlana Sandberg

Advisor, Healthcare Strategy

Svetlana Sandberg is a healthcare strategy executive with deep experience in enterprise operation, business transformation, and innovation. As Vice President of Innovation & Strategy at UnitedHealth Group, she leads initiatives to accelerate product development and optimize capital allocation, aiming to improve time to market and drive long-term growth across the organization.

Prior to her current role, Svetlana served as Chief of Staff to the CEO of Optum Financial, supporting a platform processing over $500B healthcare payments and serving over 27 million consumers. She played a pivotal role in shaping corporate strategy, managing performance, leading cross-functional initiatives, and executing Optum Financial M&A agenda. Her efforts helped deliver significant revenue and IOI growth, along with major advancements in consumer and provider financial solutions.

Earlier, she held senior leadership roles in population health, readmissions strategy, and clinical innovation, driving modernization of Medicare programs, deployment of digital health tools, and clinical cost savings. Throughout her career at UnitedHealth Group, she has built a reputation for aligning stakeholders, navigating complex organizations, and executing strategic priorities with measurable impact.

Svetlana holds an MBA in Finance and Healthcare from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, being outdoors and spending time with her family. She is based in Edina, Minnesota.

Adila Secerkadic

Executive Assistant
Adila Secerkadic is an Executive Assistant at DBA, providing organizational and administrative support to the team.
Over the course of her career, she has gained experience in a variety of business roles, but a clear thread throughout has been her passion for structure, thoughtful planning, and reliable execution.
Organization is not just part of her job – it’s something she naturally brings into daily life. She values simplicity, trust, and meaningful work, and especially enjoys creating clarity and ease in fast-moving environments.

Ryan Davitt

Analyst
Ryan Davitt is an emerging finance professional with expertise in financial analysis, risk assessment, and investment strategy. As an Analyst at DBA Group, he applies his analytical skills to support high-growth businesses in achieving their financial goals.
Ryan’s foundation in finance began at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business, where he pursued degrees in Finance, Business Data Analytics, and Economics. A Barrett Honors College Scholar, he consistently earned Dean’s List recognition.
During his internship as a Credit Risk Analyst at DriveTime, Ryan led an APR elasticity analysis, uncovering profitability opportunities in auto loan financing. He also utilized advanced Python analytics to validate data integrity and developed policy recommendations projected to increase total NPV by $2 million.
Beyond finance, Ryan co-founded Official Annie Cat, a pet-focused social media brand, growing it to 191,000 followers. He also served as a Fund Manager for ASU’s Student Investment Management Fund, overseeing a $1.2 million portfolio, and was part of the winning team in the 2023 U.S. Desert Local CFA Research Challenge.
Outside of work, he enjoys basketball, camping, cars, coffee, cooking, and painting. Ryan is based in Mesa, Arizona.

Charles Wyatt

Advisor, Finance & Controllership
Charles Wyatt is a finance executive with 20+ years of experience driving financial strategy, capital management, and operational efficiency. As CFO of Vertical Insure, he plays a key role in scaling and innovating within the embedded insurance space.
Specializing in early-stage technology and SaaS companies, Charles has helped raise nearly $1 billion in debt and equity across Series A–C and recapitalization financings. He excels in financial planning, capital structuring, and team building, having implemented best-in-class processes, controls, and technology to support rapid growth.
Prior to Vertical Insure, Charles was CFO at Nice Healthcare, Total Expert, and Renters Warehouse, where his leadership earned him recognition as a Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal CFO of the Year. His early career also includes leadership roles at SUPERVALU and Code42, optimizing financial infrastructures for high-growth companies.
Charles holds a B.A. in Finance from California State University, Fullerton, and an MBA from Loyola University Chicago. He is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Margareta Klincic

Advisor, Tech Strategy
Margareta (Maggie) Klincic is a global strategy and operations leader with a strong foundation in technology, consulting, and finance. With over a decade of experience spanning Google, McKinsey & Company, and Goldman Sachs, she brings a rare blend of analytical rigor, operational execution, and cross-cultural leadership to her work.
Most recently, Margareta served as Product Strategy and Operations Principal at Google Cloud, where she led strategic initiatives for the Telco vertical across Europe, helping shape go-to-market plans and scale operations. Prior to that, she held several leadership roles within Google Cloud, including Head of Sales Strategy and Operations for the UK & Ireland and Strategy & Operations Lead for Southern Europe and Emerging Markets, where she partnered with executive stakeholders to accelerate regional growth and optimize commercial performance.
Before joining Google, Margareta spent nearly six years at McKinsey & Company, where she advanced to Engagement Manager, advising global clients across sectors on strategy, transformation, and performance improvement. Her earlier experience includes serving as Head of Finance, Fundraising & Operations at the health-tech startup Bellabeat and completing an Investment Banking Summer Associate role at Goldman Sachs.
Margareta holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and earned her undergraduate degree in Computer Science from the University of Zagreb – Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, where she also served as a teaching assistant and contributed actively to student organizations and fundraising initiatives.
Fluent in multiple languages and deeply committed to global impact, Margareta is passionate about empowering women in business, supporting innovation ecosystems, and mentoring the next generation of leaders. She is currently based in London, UK.

John Stame

Advisor, Tech & Data Architecture
John Stame is a business systems leader, strategist, and advisor with 35+ years of experience optimizing operations through technology-driven transformation. Having held leadership roles at Documentum, Microsoft, Chevron, and Atlassian, he has helped organizations enhance efficiency and scale through enterprise architecture, strategic planning, and process optimization.
John specializes in business systems management, SaaS analytics, and application rationalization, with expertise across finance, accounting, procurement, and HR. He has led initiatives across Lead/Quote to Cash, Record to Report, AP/AR, Procure to Pay, and Hire to Retire, leveraging enterprise architecture methodologies to streamline operations.
At Documentum, John led Knowledge Management initiatives, while at Microsoft, he served as a Platform Strategy Advisor, guiding organizations in adopting strategic IT frameworks. His work at Chevron and Atlassian focused on enterprise architecture and IT portfolio management, driving operational efficiency and scalability.
John holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a minor in Computer Science from California State University, Chico. He is based in Eagle, Idaho.

John Bennett, CPA

Advisor, Finance & Controllership
John Bennett, CPA is a finance and advisory executive with 30+ years of experience leading cost optimization, process transformation, and global business strategy. Having held leadership roles at KPMG, Accenture, PwC, IBM, and HP, he has advised Fortune 500 companies across industries, driving efficiency and operational excellence.
John began his career in Canada, earning his CPA designation with KPMG before transitioning into consulting. He specialized in cost reduction and process improvement across consumer goods, technology, energy, and healthcare, including negotiating joint exploration costs for ARCO, BP, and Exxon in Alaska.
His career later expanded globally, where he advised on multi-process outsourcing strategies across India, Eastern Europe, China, and Latin America. He then refocused on zero-based budgeting, process optimization, and shared services strategy, aligning finance and operations with technology-driven transformations.
John holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from Saint Mary’s University and his CPA designation. He is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Dino Bilankov

Dino Bilankov

CEO & Founder
Dino Bilankov is a corporate finance executive with extensive experience in FP&A, strategic planning, and investor relations. As founder of DBA Group, he partners with venture-backed, PE-owned, and founder-led high-growth businesses, providing tailored financial solutions and strategic insights to drive operational excellence and growth.
Prior to founding DBA Group, Dino served as Chief Financial Officer for UnitedHealthcare’s Southwest Markets, managing a $2.5 billion P&L across multiple states. Earlier in his career, he worked in corporate strategy and business development at UnitedHealthcare, leading M&A analyses and strategic initiatives for the then $250 billion enterprise. He also gained private equity and investment banking experience at Diamond Castle Holdings and RBC Capital Markets, developing deep expertise in financial modeling, valuation, and transaction execution.
Dino holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Minnesota, where he captained the Division I tennis team on a full athletic scholarship. He later earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. In addition to his corporate leadership, Dino is an adjunct professor of finance at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management and serves as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business.
Outside of his professional work, he enjoys playing tennis, practicing jiu-jitsu, spending time outdoors with his family, and perfecting his guitar and piano skills. Dino is based in Mesa, Arizona.