Tim Aten Knows: businesses building in Golden Gate Estates. * By Tim Aten * Jun 12, 2026 * 2 Q: I was wondering if you have a diagram that shows all the businesses that will be built in the Orange Blossom complex between the new Big Corkscrew Road and Hawthorn on Oil Well. So far, I know of the following: tire store, Chipotle, gas station, and I just heard a possible Chick-fil-A and not sure about the Starbucks. Thanks. - Scott Bohm, Golden Gate Estates A: The Oil Well Road outparcels fronting the Emblem Orange Blossom apartments are the last businesses to be built as part of The Shoppes at Orange Blossom development on a former citrus grove between Palmetto Ridge High School and the entrance to the Orange Blossom Ranch gated residential community in Golden Gate Estates. From west to east, those businesses include a Circle K convenience store with 12 fueling stations and a car wash on the southeast corner of Big Corkscrew Drive and Workman Way; and a Chick-fil-A restaurant with dual drive-thru lanes next to it on the southwest corner of Workman Way and Champs Avenue, Collier County permitting plans show. "I believe they are breaking ground late summer," said Aryel Perring, regional development director at WMG Development, the developer of The Shoppes at Orange Blossom - including the more than 7.5 acres of outparcel lots, which have individual ground leases. Perring could not confirm any of the businesses coming to the outparcels on the vacant commercial land, but on-site "coming soon" signs are up on some of the lots, and all of the proposed businesses have plans pending in the county's Growth Management permitting portal. The parcels on the western side of Champs Avenue lag behind construction of the easternmost outparcel lots. "We have broken ground on the eastern pod, the three parcels on the far east," Perring said. "We are doing the site work for all three of those buildings." Vertical construction is quickly occurring for those businesses, especially the Chipotle Mexican Grill with a "Chipotlane" pickup window that is taking shape on the center lot. Flanking Chipotle will be a multitenant building shared by a Starbucks drive-thru and a Heartland Dental office on the southeast corner of Workman Way and Champs Avenue; and an eight-bay Mavis Tires & Brakes service center on the southwest corner of Workman Way and Hawthorn Road. Perring anticipates those outparcel businesses to open early next year. "I think early 2027 is a fair assessment; Q1, Q2 for a good chunk of the ones that are under construction," she said. All of the lots are owned by Shoppes at Orange Blossom LLC, an affiliate of WMG Development and Heartland Dental based in Effingham, Illinois. The future Heartland Dental office at The Shoppes at Orange Blossom will do business with a neighborhood name similar to its nearby affiliates, Orangetree Dental Care and Dental Care at Winchester Center. Quarterra is the multifamily developer of the 284-unit Emblem Orange Blossom apartments under construction at 1905 Champs Drive directly behind the outparcels. Workman Way separates the outparcel lots from Emblem. "My understanding is that they are progressing very well and I believe the intention is stabilization toward the end of the year, but I can't confirm that," Perring said. The one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments will have open-concept living, dining and kitchen layouts with stainless-steel appliances and modern cabinetry, countertops and fixtures. Units feature a washer and dryer, spacious bedrooms and closets and private patios or balconies. Monthly rents start at $2,074 for a 754-square-foot one-bedroom/one-bath unit to nearly $3,000 for a 1,404-square-foot three-bedroom/two-bath unit, Emblem's website shows. The community will include a clubhouse with a fitness center, entertainment area, resort-style pool and outdoor grilling stations. Other amenities include a dog run and electric vehicle charging stations. The UPS store is the only unit yet to open in the Publix-anchored retail strip on the western edge of The Shoppes at Orange Blossom. Following last fall's launch of the Publix supermarket and liquor store, neighboring units with Encore Nails, Great Clips, Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Wingstop all opened this spring. Fifth Third Bank also opened a freestanding branch office on that northwest corner of Oil Well Road and Big Corkscrew Drive. "I hear the Publix store is doing well. I believe that all the inline users are starting strong. It's awesome to be in close proximity to the schools. That's a huge draw, as well as the regional park that continues to build out," Perring said. "It makes me feel good to know that we picked a great location to add wonderful retailers in a great market, as well. I'm happy with it." Winchester loading. Another local center nears completion nearby in Golden Gate Estates. Anchored by Sunshine Ace Hardware, which opened last summer, the Winchester Center retail strip off Immokalee Road south of Oil Well Road has welcomed tenants at a steady pace this year. Anytime Fitness, Cold Stone Creamery, Family Foot & Leg Center, Little Caesars Pizza and Pixie Nail Lounge launched locations this spring in the center, while locally owned and operated Osaka Hibachi debuted June 2. Osaka's menu includes hibachi and teriyaki entrees, sushi rolls, ramen, fried rice, hot buns and soups. Meanwhile, the dental office, Maruto's Cuban Cafe and That NY Bagel Place are finishing build-outs. The new local restaurants are preparing to open this summer. "We're hoping end of June, beginning of July. That is our goal," said Derek Leverant, the owner of That NY Bagel Place. Leverant lives nearby in Waterways and works as a full-time engineer for the North Collier Fire Department. His wife, Liliana, and children Dylan and Isla also are part of the local family-owned business. Last summer, they opened a satellite shop for That NY Bagel Place within Village Walk of Bonita Springs after buying the established location on U.S. 41 in Bonita in August 2023. It's not a coincidence that Leverant owns and operates bagel shops; it's a personal passion project for him. "I've loved bagels as long as I can remember," he said. "I grew up in New York and I like bagels more than any customer that walks in the door. So, if you're going to come to my store, you're going to have the best bagel that we can possibly make with the equipment we have. We do it all old school. Everything is made from scratch. My son makes all the dough - never frozen. We make it fresh." To better serve the underserved Estates area, the Winchester location will be open later. The operating hours will be 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily with an expanded menu that includes bagels, wraps, sandwiches, salads, soups and even pizza made on flat bagels called flagels. The shop also offers catering service. Other adjacent outparcel lots at Winchester Center are already occupied by a McDonald's restaurant and Healthcare Network's new community health center. StorQuest Self Storage nears completion of its three-story building while Naples Comprehensive Health hasn't broken ground on its 2.2-acre parcel there. NCH has yet to announce its intentions for that property, but President and CEO Paul Hiltz recently said that location would be a good place for a freestanding urgent care center. The Tim Aten Knows weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at [email protected].

Heartland Dental named to Newsweek's America's Greatest Workplaces in Health Care 2026 for second consecutive year. Recognition highlights the company's doctor-led culture and continued investment in team member growth and engagement EFFINGHAM, Ill., June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Heartland Dental, the nation's leading dental support organization, has been recognized by Newsweek as one of America's Greatest Workplaces in Health Care for 2026, marking the second consecutive year the company has received the honor. The award celebrates Heartland Dental's continued focus on building a strong workplace culture where team members feel supported, valued and empowered to grow.

Best Dental Insurance providers for DSOs in Virginia. Virginia's DSO landscape is expanding rapidly, with major players like Heartland Dental, PepperPointe Partnerships, and Guardian Dentistry Partners competing for market share. As these organizations scale, they face a critical question: continue relying on traditional insurance with stagnant reimbursement rates, or adopt membership platforms that generate predictable recurring revenue? This list features both traditional dental insurance and membership platforms, with an important distinction. The #1 recommendation, Clerri, is NOT insurance. It's a dental membership platform that Virginia DSOs use to reduce insurance dependence and transform patient behavior. Key takeaways. * Clerri ranks as the top alternative to traditional insurance for Virginia DSOs, delivering 76% more patient visits and 172% higher cash production compared to uninsured patients. * Membership platforms eliminate waiting periods, annual maximums, and claim denials that affect patient care under traditional insurance. * Insurance reimbursement rates have grown less than 1% annually for eight consecutive years while operational costs rise 3%-plus per year. * 7 of the top 10 DSOs nationwide use Clerri's membership platform to generate recurring revenue outside insurance constraints. 1. Clerri Membership Platform - The #1 alternative to insurance dependence. Clerri is NOT a dental insurance platform. It operates as a dental membership platform that enables DSOs and dental groups to design, launch, and manage subscription-based membership programs. Best For: Virginia DSOs seeking to reduce insurance reliance, generate predictable revenue, and improve patient retention Type: Dental Membership Platform (NOT Insurance) Clerri represents a fundamental shift from insurance dependence to practice-controlled patient financing. The platform enables DSOs to design, launch, and manage subscription-based membership programs that deliver measurable improvements in patient behavior and practice economics. The company serves 20,000+ dentists across 5,000+ independent practices, 200+ group practices, and 7 of the top 10 DSOs nationwide. This scale provides Virginia DSOs with proven infrastructure and documented results. The membership effect: quantified patient behavior changes. Clerri's proprietary research documents significant behavioral shifts when patients join membership plans: * 76% more visits compared to when those patients were cash-pay or uninsured * 146% more procedures accepted and completed * 172% increase in cash production per patient These outcomes stem from removing the barriers traditional insurance creates. Membership patients have no waiting periods, no annual maximums, and no claim denials affecting their access to care. Seamless PMS integration. Clerri Bridge, the platform's workflow application, integrates directly with over 90% of practice management software including Dentrix, Open Dental, and Eaglesoft. The application overlays existing schedule views to surface enrollment opportunities and enable single-click patient sign-ups. Key integration capabilities include: * Automated payment posting to PMS systems * Benefit tracking showing services used and remaining * Real-time dashboards for enrollments, renewals, and revenue * One-click enrollment pulling patient data directly from PMS Proven DSO results. GEN4 Dental Partners implemented Clerri across 40+ locations in 14 days, immediately enrolling 500+ members. The DSO added 220 patients in the first challenge month, followed by 280 patients (127% increase) in the second month. Great Lakes Dental Partners found a true growth partner in Clerri, while 7 to 7 Dental scaled membership revenue significantly. SkyRidge Dental achieved an 8x increase in membership plan enrollment. Pricing structure: * Custom pricing based on practice size * White-glove onboarding included * No per-transaction fees on membership revenue 2. Delta Dental of Virginia. Type: Traditional Dental Insurance (PPO/DHMO) Delta Dental operates as a Virginia-specific entity within the nation's largest dental insurance network. The company covers all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories through the Delta Dental Plans Association. The insurer offers two Qualified Dental Plans through Virginia's Health Insurance Marketplace, according to Delta Dental of Virginia's ACA plan page. Group plans scale for DSOs of various sizes with established claims processing infrastructure. Key features: * Large provider network in Virginia with extensive participation * Multiple plan options including PPO and DHMO structures * BBB-accredited business with long-standing market presence * Scalable group administration for multi-location practices 3. Aetna Dental. Type: Traditional Dental Insurance (PPO/DHMO) Aetna says Dental Direct members can choose from more than 442,000 dentist locations in the Aetna Dental PPO network, and that Aetna has provided dental care to more than nine million members. The carrier's integration with broader healthcare services appeals to DSOs offering comprehensive employee benefits. * Large national network with Virginia coverage * Part of larger Aetna healthcare ecosystem * Multiple plan tiers for different coverage needs * Established group plan administration Aetna's primary dental insurance plans are available in Virginia, as is the Aetna Vital Savings discount card. The discount program is not available in Vermont or Montana. 4. Cigna dental. Type: Traditional Dental Insurance (PPO/DHMO) Cigna differentiates through technology with an easy-to-navigate portal app and 24/7 customer service for select plans. The carrier's digital-first approach aligns with DSO operations that rely on efficient administration. * Highly rated mobile app and patient portal * Round-the-clock support availability * Competitive preventive care coverage * Large national network 5. MetLife dental. Type: Traditional Dental Insurance (PPO/DHMO) MetLife brings financial strength and experience managing large multi-location accounts. The carrier offers multiple plan tiers including PPO, DHMO, and discount plan options for different DSO needs. * Strong financial ratings and stability * Experience with large group administration * Multiple plan flexibility * Established claims processing efficiency 6. Guardian Dental Insurance. Type: Traditional Dental Insurance (PPO/DHMO) Guardian maintains brand recognition in the dental insurance space with PPO and DHMO plan options. The carrier's experience with multi-location dental practices provides established infrastructure for DSO administration. * Well-known provider in dental insurance * PPO and DHMO options available * Online portal and mobile tools * Group expertise for multi-location practices 7. UnitedHealthcare dental. Type: Traditional Dental Insurance (PPO/DHMO) UnitedHealthcare leverages its position as a major healthcare insurer to offer integrated dental benefits. In a 2019 partnership, the company provided over 1.5 million members with orthodontic coverage options, and has continued to innovate through collaborations. * Part of larger UnitedHealthcare ecosystem * Integration with comprehensive health plans * Multiple plan options for groups * Large membership base Why Virginia DSOs are shifting to membership models. Virginia's DSO market continues expanding, with PepperPointe Partnerships achieving 35% single-day growth and Heartland Dental operating 1,800+ practices nationally. As these organizations scale, traditional insurance economics create significant headwinds. The math is straightforward: insurance reimbursement rates have grown less than 1% annually for eight consecutive years while operational costs increase 3%-plus per year. This gap compounds over time, squeezing margins that DSOs depend on for growth and profitability. Membership platforms address this structural challenge by creating recurring revenue streams outside insurance constraints. Practices gain control over pricing, patient relationships, and care delivery without claim denials, waiting periods, or annual maximums affecting treatment acceptance. For Virginia DSOs evaluating coverage strategies, the DSO guide provides detailed implementation frameworks and ROI calculations. Frequently asked questions. Predictable revenue. Loyal patients. Zero hassle. Attract and retain patients, drive patient loyalty, and grow cash production with the membership platform built for dentistry.