Alum Builds ‘Starbucks of Dental Care’ with Wits, Grit

As a new college student, Dr. Sulman Ahmed BA'01 received a frosty welcome in the balmy state of Florida when he arrived in 1997 from his native Zimbabwe. He spent his first night in the United States sleeping on a bench at a campus police station because it was the only place open at the university when he arrived.

After a short time at his new college, Ahmed knew it was not what he had imagined. The U.S., he realized, was nothing like its portrayal on television. He called home to say he had made a mistake. But his father talked him into staying and giving it a try. Once Ahmed became immersed in his studies, his comfort level grew, but he was determined to transfer and find a place better suited for him.

A Thanksgiving visit with family friends in Dallas helped him find that place, and Ahmed soon enrolled at The University of Texas at Dallas, beginning a journey that led him to founding one of the fastest-growing dental practices in the nation, DECA Dental Group.

"The school was near the city, and the campus was nicer," said Ahmed, who will be the keynote speaker at the Naveen Jindal School of ManagementScholarship Breakfast on Oct. 9 . "There was more of a campus vibe, even 23 years ago. It was just very diverse and vibrant."

Interested in UT Dallas' health care track, Ahmed double-majored in biology and business, and the combination set the stage for his future as an entrepreneur. Ahmed enjoyed classes in the Jindal School as much as his science courses, he said, and business courses, such as organizational behavior and marketing, influenced many of his future ideas. He credits UTD for offering an education that planted the seeds of his dream of creating what he calls the "Starbucks of dental care."

"I think the UTD education was foundational for my success at dental school and for my future," Ahmed said. "It prepared me for my first two years at Tufts because I was ready to work hard after the rigor of UTD."

After graduating from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 2005, Ahmed returned to Dallas and worked as an associate in a dental office before he opened his first practice in 2008 in Garland, Texas. He soon bought a second clinic in North Texas, but the Great Recession nearly ended his business aspirations. After a year in business, he had to take money from his personal savings to pay his employees.

"I really thought I would go bankrupt," he said.

But the economy turned around, and with it, his concept for Ideal Dental began to take shape. Even as an inexperienced dentist, Ahmed believed there was a way that would both serve dental patients better and improve business. He began to talk about a model in which numerous branded neighborhood practices would offer extended hours, including Saturdays, and provide specialists, like oral surgeons, all under one roof.

"People, generally, who come to a dentist care about three things. It's time, money and fear," Ahmed said. "'How long is that going to take me, doc? Can you do it today?' Money: 'How am I going to pay for this? Do you have a payment plan?' Then fear: 'Can you provide almost painless dentistry?' If you can solve those three things, you're going to be very successful."

Ahmed said his initial goal was to have 10 locations in North Texas; instead, he soon had 30. In 2013, Ahmed formed DECA Dental, and by 2016, he had nearly 60 North Texas locations. Soon he opened Ideal Dental practices in other Texas cities. And in 2021, Ahmed opened his first practice outside of Texas.

"A lot of it was this chip on my shoulder, where I was hearing that you just can't do it; it won't work," Ahmed said. "That was something that drove me."

Today, DECA Dental manages nearly 200 practices in nine states and employs 2,000 people, including some 350 dentists.

"I'm excited to talk to the students about our success. I want to share my story and how a vision can manifest into something bigger with a lot of hard work, grit and perseverance."

Dr. Sulman Ahmed BA'01

Ahmed's success led to an opportunity to renew his relationship with UTD. Chris Bhatti MA'06, assistant vice president for development and alumni relations, invited Ahmed to visit campus in 2023.

"He had not been back to campus in more than 20 years," Bhatti said. "He said that he wasn't really connected to UTD, but that the campus visit was a great experience for him. At one point, Ahmed said he was getting emotional by seeing all the places he remembered as a student."

Ahmed received the University's Distinguished Alumni Award last spring, and he has endowed a student scholarship in the Jindal School - the Dr. Sulman Ahmed Scholarship Fund.

"I'm excited to talk to the students about our success," Ahmed said. "I want to share my story and how a vision can manifest into something bigger with a lot of hard work, grit and perseverance."