# Steve Bilt

> Steve Bilt is the co-founder and CEO of Smile Brands and OneSmile. He helped establish the original business in 1998, left at the end of 2013, and returned as CEO when Gryphon Investors acquired Smile Brands in August 2016. His public interviews describe a career shaped by finance, long working partnerships, employee communication, and a daily commitment to the vision Smiles for Everyone. Bright Now! Dental is part of the Smile Brands portfolio.

- **Role:** Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Smile Brands Inc. and OneSmile, LLC
- **Organizations:** Smile Brands Inc., OneSmile, LLC, Bright Now! Dental, Smiles for Everyone Foundation, Association of Dental Support Organizations, Young Presidents Organization, THINK Together, Ernst & Young, SCRS, Inc., Vivra Incorporated
- **From:** New York, United States
- **Education:** Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics, University of California, Santa Barbara, MBA, Presidents and Key Executives program, Pepperdine University, Graziadio Business School, Presidents’ Program (executive education), Harvard Business School
- **Known for:** Co-founded Smile Brands and OneSmile and led their combination in 2016., Led the Monarch Dental and Castle Dental acquisitions., Oversaw development and operation of more than 200 new practices, according to his current company biography.

## Career timeline

- **Early career** — Worked at Ernst & Young before becoming CFO at SCRS and vice president of finance at Vivra.
- **1998** — Co-founded the business that became Smile Brands, initially serving as founding CFO.
- **Approximately 1999–2000** — Became CEO about a year and a half after the founding, according to his interview with Jacob Morgan.
- **2003** — Led the Monarch Dental acquisition.
- **2004** — Led the Castle Dental acquisition.
- **2007** — Introduced Smiles for Everyone at the annual leadership meeting.
- **2009** — The parent business adopted the Smile Brands name.
- **2011** — Founded the Smiles for Everyone Foundation.
- **2013** — Left Smile Brands at the end of the year, according to his own account.
- **2015** — Established OneSmile with Brad Schmidt and Gryphon Investors.
- **2016** — Returned as CEO following Gryphon’s August acquisition of Smile Brands and combination with OneSmile.
- **2018** — Ranked 12th on Glassdoor’s Top CEOs list for large companies.
- **2019** — Received Pepperdine’s Waves of Service George Award.
- **2023** — Inducted into the inaugural ADSO Hall of Leaders.
- **2026** — Shared photographs of his first meeting after returning to mark ten years since the reacquisition.

## Achievements

- Co-founded Smile Brands and OneSmile and led their combination in 2016.
- Led the Monarch Dental and Castle Dental acquisitions.
- Oversaw development and operation of more than 200 new practices, according to his current company biography.
- Named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year, according to his company biography.
- Ranked 12th on Glassdoor’s 2018 Top CEOs list for large companies.
- Received Pepperdine’s 2019 Waves of Service George Award.
- Included in the inaugural 2023 ADSO Hall of Leaders.
- Founder and chairman of the Smiles for Everyone Foundation.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — On September 8, shared photographs from his first meeting after returning to Smile Brands and reflected on ten years since the 2016 reacquisition.
- **2025-02** — In a February 20 interview, discussed labor and debt costs, compounding operational improvements, and renewed attention to internal team relationships.
- **2024-06** — Interviewed Terrell Davis at the ADSO Summit about leadership, discipline, and life experience.

## Links

- Website: https://smilebrands.com/steve-bilt/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-bilt-782835b
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/stevebilt

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/steve-bilt
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-11