Patterson acquires dental practice software provider Mercer Mastery

Patterson Cos. said it has acquired Mercer Mastery, a dental practice software provider, for an undisclosed amount of cash.

Patterson, based in St. Paul, provides consumable dental supplies, dental equipment and software and products such as artificial teeth. It also has medical equipment and veterinary supply units.

"This is a strategic acquisition that enhances our software offerings for dental practices," said Paul Guggenheim, Patterson's president, in a statement. Mercer Mastery's software, called OnTrack, is cloud-based business planning software. Patterson already provides software for dentists and orthodontic specialists.

Patterson purchased the software firm from parent company Mercer Advisors of Santa Barbara, Calif. The deal closed July 31, the company said.

Shares of Patterson Cos. were nearly unchanged in morning trading.