Barbaro Dental Group:
From Compliance Crisis to Confident Growth

Barbaro Dental Group, co-founded by brothers Justin and Colin Barbaro in 2015, has grown from a small dental practice into a thriving 9-location organization built on core values of humility, integrity, and relationship-based care. As successful clinicians transitioning into business leadership, the brothers faced a critical juncture: their rapid growth had outpaced their financial infrastructure, putting them at risk of defaulting on loans and threatening their expansion goals.

Client Overview:

The Challenge:

With loans personally guaranteed and bank compliance deadlines looming, the Barbaro Dental Group needed to transition from a cash-based to an accrual accounting system, submit reviewed financial statements to their bank, and establish stronger banking relationships—all within a 90-day window. The brothers were stretched thin, wearing multiple hats as both practitioners and business leaders, uncertain about critical hiring decisions, and carrying significant personal stress about their financial obligations.

The Solution:

Through AccruDent's strategic guidance, the Barbaro brothers gained more than just accounting expertise; they also gained valuable insights into the business world. Ken Kaufman quarterbacked the entire compliance financial reporting compliance process, coordinating between accounting teams, facilitating banking introductions, and providing crucial strategic counsel—including advising against an over-budget hire that would have strained their finances. The transition to accrual accounting was completed seamlessly, positioning the organization for continued growth while allowing the leadership to focus on culture, operations, and strategic opportunities.

The Impact:

Today, the Barbaro Dental Group is poised to expand to its 10th location and beyond, with a robust financial infrastructure, bank compliance, and increased enterprise value. More significantly, Justin has transitioned from full-time practice to focus on business leadership, with Colin on a similar path—a testament to the sustainable growth framework AccruDent helped establish.

Before working with AccruDent, what sort of challenges were you facing?

Justin: For the first time in our history, the bank was requiring GAAP-compliant financial reporting, and we did not know anything about the process. I knew I needed someone to guide me through this, including help with searching for another bank in case it became necessary to switch banks. We had set goals for growth, and the banking relationship and structure were a critical part of our growth plans.

What sort of impacts would happen to your organization if you could not overcome those specific challenges?

Justin: In a worst-case scenario, I'd get my loans called in and be in a significant financial quandary. I did not think that would happen, but it weighed on me somewhat.

How did you meet Ken Kaufman, AccruDent, Co-Founder?

Justin: Back in 2018, I met Ken Kaufman at a conference. He discussed all the financial elements required to run and lead a group of dental practices, and it became clear that he really knew what he was doing. Fast forward to 2025, and I reached out to Ken to see if he might be in a position to help me with my current situation. Thankfully, he was.

What were you feeling inside as a leader?

Justin: Exhausted, overwhelmed, stretched very thin. There is such a push and pull dynamic between wanting to be an effective, maybe even a dynamic leader for the organization, and also wanting to be an excellent dentist. And those two things were just pulling in opposite directions, and one had to give.

Describe your experience of working with AccruDent.

Justin: Ken took the lead and helped distill all the information into various tasks and initiatives to create the best possible outcomes.

The two things at the top of the list were helping us establish some banking relationships so that we could make sure that we were going to be in a position to have the capital to grow as we grew, and making sure that we complied with all of our financial reporting requirements, including Accrual Accounting, make sure that we could keep growing with our existing bank.

The idea of transitioning from Cash-based to Accrual Accounting-based seemed like some impossible, almost mystical project. Ken and his team handled everything for us, providing occasional questions and status updates along the way.

The best part of AccruDent is how they come in and take care of everything. I initially worried it would take a lot of my time. But the exact opposite was true. AccruDent freed me up to attend more critical tasks while they handle everything with the Review Firm, banks, and so much more. That is what I love about their service the most.

What is the impact of you and your company working with AccruDent?

Justin: We were able to stay with our existing bank and increase the amount of capital they would provide to support our growth. We are making better decisions as we run the business, thanks to viewing our financial performance through the lens of Accrual Accounting. All of this is likely worth more than $1 million in enterprise value.

How were your business life and your personal life changed as a result of working with AccruDent?

Justin: Business life - The entire process of working with AccruDent has increased my confidence as the leader of my business. Invaluable asset. We have ambitious growth goals, and we're better positioned to achieve them, thanks in part to having Ken on our team.

Personal life - Knowing that Ken and his team of experts were handling things reduced my stress level, allowed me to be more present at home and in other commitments.

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