SMILECARE: MAJOR EXPANSION LIKELY

      "SmileCare, a small provider of dental services, appears to
 be headed for a major expansion," Los Angeles Times reports. 
 Liberty Partners, a New York investment firm, has acquired a
 "majority stake" in the Irvine, CA-based company, "which has
 offices in Southern California, and will provide up to $100
 million for expansion," according to a company executive. 
 SmileCare CEO Mary-Ellen Hardin "said the company sees great
 opportunity for a managed dental care industry to grow throughout
 California, just as managed care did more than a decade ago." 
 SmileCare currently has 250,000 enrollees.  Hardin said that in
 the short-run the company will seek to expand throughout
 California and "would eventually like to become a leader
 nationally" (Marsh, 6/5).