Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe to Acquire Majority Stake in Smile Brands Group Inc.

Ropes & Gray represented Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in a proposed agreement to purchase a majority interest in Smile Brands Group Inc. from Freeman Spogli & Co., which will remain a minority investor, announced November 3. Smile Brands Group, the largest dental support services organization in the U.S., operates under three brands: Bright Now! Dental, Castle Dental and Monarch Dental.

The Ropes & Gray deal team was led by New York-based partner Othon Prounis.

Ropes & Gray has advised Welsh Carson on other significant transactions in 2010, including representing:

• Welsh Carson and Renal Advantage in the sale of Renal Advantage to Liberty Dialysis in a deal announced on November 4;
• Welsh Carson-owned US Oncology in its proposed $2.16 billion (including debt) acquisition by McKesson Corp., in November;  
• Welsh Carson, a 44 percent owner of AGA Medical Holdings Inc., in the planned $1.3 billion sale of AGA to St. Jude Medical Inc. in October; 
• Welsh Carson in the sale of Multiplan to BC Partners and Silver Lake partners in July; and 
• GDC Holdings Inc. and Welsh Carson in the acquisition of National Dentex Corporation in April.