Founder & CEO, Foundation Dental Alliance
Luxury Dental Retreats | Practice Transitions | Leadership Mastermind | Content Engine | Multi-Location Operations
Dr. Jim Arnold is the Founder and CEO of Foundation Dental Alliance (FDA) — a comprehensive ecosystem that supports dentists across every stage of their career, from graduation to retirement. The FDA platform is designed to help dentists elevate their practice, expand their leadership, and protect their autonomy through a combination of immersive education, high-performance community, strategic transitions, and lifelong content support.
Core FDA Initiatives Include:
• Luxury Dental Retreats — Exclusive, immersive experiences in world-class locations such as Dubai, Puerto Vallarta, Costa Rica, Scottsdale, Napa Valley, and Miami - combining clinical excellence, leadership development, and peer connection
• Foundation Dental Mastermind — A high-level leadership and accountability group lead by industry icons and niche experts for growth-driven dentists committed to maximizing personal, professional, and financial outcomes
• Foundation Dental Transitions — A premier solution for dentists looking to buy or sell practices, with a primary focus on exit planning, deal structure, mutually beneficial partnerships, and post-sale support
• Foundation Dental Services — A multi-location dental practice group focused on clinical excellence, operational systems, and scalable delivery of patient care
• Foundation Content Engine — A value-rich stream of weekly insights delivered through the Foundation Dental Podcast, Newsletter, and Blog, providing actionable education and leadership content for dentists at every stage of their journey
Together, this ecosystem equips dentists to grow with clarity, lead with confidence, and exit with intention — all while staying connected to a trusted community.
Clinical Foundation & Transition Leadership
Dr. Arnold graduated from the Indiana University School of Dentistry in 1996 and founded Smiles By Arnold & Associates in 1999. He grew it into a nationally respected multi-location practice group, earning a reputation for clinical excellence, exceptional patient care, and operational efficiency with 31% EBITDA.
After partnering with a national DSO, he continued in clinical practice for five years and was then named Vice President of Clinical Services for a large DSO, overseeing quality and performance across multiple practices. His dentist mentees grew their production by an average of 39%.
He has helped numerous colleagues through successful partnerships and exit strategies, contributing to deals totaling more than $100 million that helped build the foundations for four successful DSOs.
His experience in clinical education, multi-practice ownership, building high-performance teams, DSO leadership, and private and corporate transitions now fuels the work of Foundation Dental Transitions, which focuses on ensuring smooth, strategic transitions for both sellers and buyers.
Recognized Authority in Dentistry
Dr. Arnold has held multiple leadership roles at the local, state, and national levels, including:
• Peer Review Chairman for a 500-dentist district
• International Chairman for Fellowship, Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics
• Board service for national dental organizations and Indiana State Committees
• Clinical instructor for live-patient training with the Hornbrook Group
• Lifetime member of the Mensa Society
He has received multiple national honors:
• 2014 National Doctors’ Choice Award – peer-selected as the one top U.S. dentist
• Partners in Peace Award – American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry recognition for providing $35,000 in care to a survivor of domestic violence
• 20 Under 40 Award – community, charitable, and professional leadership
• Fellowship in ACE and the International Academy for Dental Facial Esthetics
Dr. Arnold has been featured in numerous dental publications and presented complex cases in the AACD Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry. He has lectured in nine cities across India and completed a live full-mouth rehab for an audience of hundreds in Bangalore.
Academic & Athletic Distinction
Jim’s early life foreshadowed his long-standing pursuit of excellence:
• 4.1 GPA in high school
• Two State Championships
• All-State and All-American in Track and Cross Country
• Accepted to Harvard, Brown, and Notre Dame
• Chose Indiana University on a full academic scholarship
At Indiana University, he:
• Was a varsity Track and Cross-Country athlete
• Won the Top Freshman Coaches Award
• Was named Academic All-Big Ten and received the Alpha Beta Award four times
• Was nominated as a Rhodes Scholar candidate
• Was an honors student, completing many of his courses in the Honors Division
• Graduated with a B.S. in Biology and a Minor in Spanish
At the Indiana University School of Dentistry, he was elected class president all four years, served as fraternity president, and was the one student to receive both the ASDA Award of Excellence and the Indiana Dental Association Leadership Award.
Strategic Leadership Beyond Dentistry
While raising his four children with his wife Sarah, Dr. Arnold served as the Chairman of the Culver Military Academy Parent Board, representing over 800 families. He was also appointed to the Culver Board of Trustees, serving for two years alongside national CEOs and international business leaders to support the school’s strategic mission.
Family & Personal Life
Dr. Arnold resides in Valparaiso, Indiana with his wife Sarah and is the proud father of four exceptional children:
• Julia: Culver Girls Academy and University of Richmond graduate, now in graduate school
• Sophia: CGA graduate and current student at Vanderbilt University
• Ethan: Culver Military Academy graduate with a full scholarship to Indiana University
• Matthew: Current student at the prestigious Herron School of Art at Indiana University
The Arnolds enjoy traveling together, supporting one another’s goals, and creating meaningful family memories.
Executive Summary
Dr. Jim Arnold is a nationally respected dentist, educator, transitions advisor, and founder of the Foundation Dental Alliance. His work helps dentists grow smarter, lead stronger, and exit wiser — through a powerful combination of immersive retreats, high-level masterminds, transitions consulting, and value-rich content that fuels practice excellence and personal fulfillment.