Not private equity backed, not a typical Dental Support Organization (DSO). Bravere exists to expand access to dental services in both urban and rural communities in Arkansas and beyond. We believe in people over numbers, being unified over being uniform, leadership over management, and technology that advances care, not just operations.
BENTON, Ark., 08/26/2026 - The Bravere Board of Directors has elected Madison Porter to serve as the organization's next chief executive officer. She succeeds Jimmy Anthony, Bravere's founding CEO, who was elected to assume the role of President and CEO of Delta Dental of Arkansas (DDAR) on January 1, 2027. Porter will step into the role in 2027, with the effective date to be announced.
Porter joined Bravere in 2025 as the company's first hire and has served as Chief Operating Officer since. Working alongside Anthony, she helped shape the organization's strategy, its culture and its partnerships, and has led the way Bravere works alongside the dentists it serves. Her appointment follows a deliberate succession planning process.
Before joining Bravere, Porter served as Chief Operating Officer of Branin, a multi-location dental group, where she led operational integration across acquired practices and directed finance, marketing, clinical and human resources functions. Prior to joining Branin, she founded and ran a marketing and public relations firm. Porter holds an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado Boulder.
"Madison was the first person to join me after I founded Bravere. She believed in what we were trying to build and has been our biggest advocate since. She did not inherit this company's strategy, culture, or relationships with our partner dentists - she built them with me. She earned this opportunity through her commitment to our purpose and exceptional performance. Building Bravere has been a highlight of my career, and I could not be more confident in where it goes next."Jimmy Anthony, founding chief executive officer, Bravere
Bravere was founded in 2025 with investment from DDAR to support dentists by taking on the operational and business risks of running a practice. Bravere's unique strategy of focusing on practices of all sizes, especially in rural communities, has proven to meet a clear need in the market. From the outset, the company was built to operate independently - close to its dentists, accountable to their teams, and responsible for its own decisions.
"When Delta Dental of Arkansas invested in Bravere, we did so knowing it had to operate with real independence - focused on its providers, supporting their teams, and free to make its own calls. That independence is a large part of why it has worked, and Madison has been central to it from the beginning. I'm thrilled she is able to lead the company through this next chapter." Kristin Merlo, president and chief executive officer, Delta Dental of Arkansas
Porter said the organization's direction and its commitments to its partner practices will not change under her leadership.
"I'm honored by the Board's confidence. What makes Bravere work is the trust we've built with our partner dentists, and that will not change. We have real momentum, a talented team, and a clear sense of who we are here to serve. I'm looking forward to building on the momentum we've created." Madison Porter, incoming chief executive officer, Bravere
Anthony will continue to lead Bravere in the interim while, working with Porter and the Board to ensure continuity for the practices, partners and team members Bravere supports.
