Document:

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                                                                    Exhibit 10.3

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             SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTE AND WARRANT PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                            DATED AS OF JULY 19, 2002

                                      AMONG

                          CASTLE DENTAL CENTERS, INC.,

                             HELLER FINANCIAL, INC.,

                         MIDWEST MEZZANINE FUND II, L.P.

                                       AND

                                 JAMES M. USDAN

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                             EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES

Exhibit A                 Form of Notes
Exhibit B                 Form of Warrants
Exhibit C                 Form of Compliance Certificate

Schedule 7.02             Liabilities
Schedule 7.03             Litigation
Schedule 7.14             Subsidiaries
Schedule 7.19             Insurance
Schedule 7.21             Material Agreements
Schedule 7.22             Hedging Agreements
Schedule 7.23             Capitalization
Schedule 8.01(e)          Reporting Regions
Schedule 9.01             Debt
Schedule 9.02             Liens
Schedule 9.03             Investments, Loans and Advances

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     THIS SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTE AND WARRANT PURCHASE AGREEMENT, dated as of
July 19, 2002, is by and among CASTLE DENTAL CENTERS, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), HELLER FINANCIAL, INC., a Delaware corporation
("Heller"), MIDWEST MEZZANINE FUND II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
("Midwest") and JAMES M. USDAN, an individual ("Usdan"; Heller, Midwest and
Usdan are sometimes referred to individually as a "Holder" and collectively, as
the "Holders").

                                 R E C I T A L S

     WHEREAS, the Company desires to sell to Holders and Holders desire to
purchase from the Company (i) certain senior subordinated convertible promissory
notes in the aggregate principal amount of $1,700,000, which initially may be
converted into 3,105,618 shares of Common Stock of the Company and (ii) warrants
to acquire 17,974,062 shares of Common Stock of the Company, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth;

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements
herein contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE I

                       DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS

     Section 1.01   Terms Defined Above. As used in this Agreement, the terms
"Company", "Heller", "Midwest", "Usdan" and "Holder" shall have the meanings
indicated above.

     Section 1.02   Certain Defined Terms. As used herein, the following terms
shall have the following meanings (all terms defined in this Article I or in
other provisions of this Agreement in the singular to have the same meanings
when used in the plural and vice versa):

     "Affiliate" of any Person shall mean (i) any Person directly or indirectly
controlled by, controlling or under common control with such first Person, (ii)
any director or officer of such first Person or of any Person referred to in
clause (i) above and (iii) if any Person in clause (i) above is an individual,
any member of the immediate family (including parents, spouse and children) of
such individual and any trust whose principal beneficiary is such individual or
one (1) or more members of such immediate family and any Person who is
controlled by any such member or trust. For purposes of this definition, any
Person which owns directly or indirectly ten percent (10%) or more of the
securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other
governing body of a corporation or ten percent (10%) or more of the partnership
or other ownership interests of any other Person (other than as a limited
partner of such other Person) will be deemed to "control" (including, with its
correlative meanings,

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"controlled by" and "under common control with") such corporation or other
Person.

     "Agreement" shall mean this Agreement, as the same may from time to time be
amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

     "Annual Meeting" shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
8.08.

     "Authorized Share Amendment" shall have the meaning assigned to such term
in Section 7.06.

     "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a day on which commercial
banks are authorized or required to close in Chicago, Illinois.

     "California LLC" shall mean Castle Dental Centers of California, L.L.C., a
Delaware limited liability company.

     "Capital Expenditures" shall mean, for any period and with respect to any
Person, the aggregate of all expenditures (whether paid in cash or other
consideration or accrued as a liability and including that portion of capital
leases that is capitalized on the balance sheet of such Person including in
connection with a sale-leaseback transaction) by such Person and its
Subsidiaries for the acquisition or leasing of fixed or capital assets or
additions to equipment (including replacements, capitalized repairs and
improvements during such period) which are required to be capitalized under GAAP
on a consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Subsidiaries.

     "Castle PC" shall mean Castle Dental Associates of Texas, P.C., a Texas
professional corporation formerly known as Jack H. Castle D.D.S., P.C.

     "Castle Texas" shall mean Castle Dental Centers of Texas, Inc., a Texas
corporation.

     "CDC California" shall mean CDC of California, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.

     "Change of Control" shall mean at any time, Heller and Midwest, together,
cease to have the right to appoint to the Board of Directors of the Company a
majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company.

     "Closing Date" shall mean July 19, 2002.

     "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time
to time and any successor statute.

     "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, $.001 par value, of the
Company.

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     "Consolidated Net Income" shall mean with respect to the Company and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries, for any period, the aggregate of the net income (or
loss) of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries after allowances for
taxes for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with
GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded from such net income (to the extent
otherwise included therein) the following: (i) the net income of any Person in
which the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary has an interest (which interest
does not cause the net income of such other Person to be consolidated with the
net income of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries in accordance with
GAAP), except to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions actually
paid in such period by such other Person to the Company or to a Consolidated
Subsidiary, as the case may be; (ii) the net income (but not loss) of any
Consolidated Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of
dividends or similar distributions or transfers or loans by that Consolidated
Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter
or any agreement, instrument or Governmental Requirement applicable to such
Consolidated Subsidiary, or is otherwise restricted or prohibited in each case
determined in accordance with GAAP; (iii) the net income (or loss) of any Person
acquired in a pooling-of-interests transaction for any period prior to the date
of such transaction; (iv) any nonrecurring gains or losses acceptable to Holders
and any extraordinary gains or losses, including gains or losses attributable to
Property sales not in the ordinary course of business; and (v) the cumulative
effect of a change in accounting principles and any gains or losses attributable
to writeups or write downs of assets.

     "Consolidated Subsidiaries" shall mean each Subsidiary of the Company
(whether now existing or hereafter created or acquired), the financial
statements of which shall be (or should have been) consolidated with the
financial statements of the Company in accordance with GAAP.

     "Corpus Transactions" shall mean, collectively: (i) the execution and
delivery of that certain Severance Agreement dated as of June 12, 2002 by and
among the Company, Jack Castle, Goforth, Inc., a Texas corporation, and Castle
1995 Gift Trust f/b/o Jack H. Castle, Jr., (ii) the execution and delivery of
that certain Settlement Agreement dated as of June 12, 2002 by and among the
Company, Jack H. Castle, D.D.S. and the Estate of Jack H. Castle, D.D.S., Castle
Texas, Castle PC, Castle Interests Ltd. and Loretta M. Castle, an individual,
and (iii) the sale by the Company of two (2) locations in Corpus Christi, Texas
and one (1) location in Beaumont, Texas pursuant to that certain Asset Purchase
Agreement dated as of June 12, 2002 by and among Dentists Choice 1 L.P., a Texas
limited partnership, Jack Castle, Texas Dental Associates, P.A., a Texas
professional association, Castle Texas and Castle PC.

     "Debt" shall mean, for any Person the sum of the following (without
duplication): (i) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or evidenced
by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments (including principal,
interest, fees and charges); (ii) all obligations of such Person (whether
contingent or otherwise) in respect of bankers' acceptances, letters of credit,
surety or other bonds and similar instruments; (iii) all obligations of such
Person to pay the deferred purchase price of Property or services (other than
for borrowed money); (iv) all

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obligations under leases which shall have been, or should have been, in
accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases in respect of which such Person
is liable (whether contingent or otherwise); (v) all obligations under leases
which require such Person or its Affiliate to make payments over the term of
such lease, including payments at termination, which are substantially equal to
at least eighty percent (80%) of the purchase price of the Property subject to
such lease plus interest as an imputed rate of interest; (vi) all Debt (as
described in the other clauses of this definition) and other obligations of
others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Debt
is assumed by such Person; (vii) all Debt (as described in the other clauses of
this definition) and other obligations of others guaranteed by such Person or in
which such Person otherwise assures a creditor against loss of the debtor or
obligations of others; (viii) all obligations or undertakings of such Person to
maintain or cause to be maintained the financial position or covenants of others
or to purchase the Debt or Property of others; (ix) obligations to deliver goods
or services in consideration of advance payments; and (x) all obligations of
such Person under Hedging Agreements.

     "Default" shall mean an Event of Default or an event which with notice or
lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default.

     "Dollars" and "$" shall mean lawful money of the United States of America.

     "EBITDA" shall mean, for any period, the sum of Consolidated Net Income for
such period plus each of the following expenses or charges to the extent
deducted from Consolidated Net Income in such period: interest, taxes,
depreciation, depletion and amortization.

     "Environmental Laws" shall mean any and all Governmental Requirements
pertaining to health or the environment in effect in any and all jurisdictions
in which the Company or any Subsidiary is conducting or at any time has
conducted business, or where any Property of the Company or any Subsidiary is
located, including without limitation, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ("OPA"),
the Clean Air Act, as amended, the Comprehensive Environmental, Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 ("CERCLA"), as amended, the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the Occupational Safety and Health Act
of 1970, as amended, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976
("RCRA"), as amended, the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, the Toxic
Substances Control Act, as amended, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization
Act of 1986, as amended, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended,
and other environmental conservation or protection laws. The term "oil" shall
have the meaning specified in OPA, the terms "hazardous substance" and "release"
(or "threatened release") have the meanings specified in CERCLA, and the terms
"solid waste" and "disposal" (or "disposed") have the meanings specified in
RCRA; provided, however, that (i) in the event either OPA, CERCLA or RCRA is
amended so as to broaden the meaning of any term defined thereby, such broader
meaning shall apply subsequent to the effective date of such amendment and (ii)
to the extent the laws of the state in which any Property of the Company or any
Subsidiary is located establish a meaning for "oil," "hazardous substance,"
"release," "solid waste" or "disposal" which is broader than that specified in
either

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OPA, CERCLA or RCRA, such broader meaning shall apply.

     "ERISA" shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended from time to time and any successor statute.

     "ERISA Affiliate" shall mean each trade or business (whether or not
incorporated) which together with the Company or any Subsidiary would be deemed
to be a "single employer" within the meaning of section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA or
subsections (b), (c), (m) or (o) of section 414 of the Code.

     "ERISA Event" shall mean (i) a "Reportable Event" described in Section 4043
of ERISA and the regulations issued thereunder, (ii) the withdrawal of the
Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate from a Plan during a plan year in
which it was a "substantial employer" as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA,
(iii) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Plan or the treatment of a
Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 of ERISA, (iv) the
institution of proceedings to terminate a Plan by the PBGC or (v) any other
event or condition which might constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA
for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan.

     "Event of Default" shall have the meaning assigned such term in Section
10.01.

     "Excepted Liens" shall mean: (i) Liens for taxes, assessments or other
governmental charges or levies not yet due or which are being contested in good
faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been
maintained; (ii) Liens in connection with workmen's compensation, unemployment
insurance or other social security, old age pension or public liability
obligations not yet due or which are being contested in good faith by
appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in
accordance with GAAP; (iii) operators', vendors', carriers', warehousemen's,
repairmen's, mechanics', workmen's, materialmen's, construction or other like
Liens arising by operation of law in the ordinary course of business or
statutory landlord's liens, each of which is in respect of obligations that have
not been outstanding more than ninety (90) days or which are being contested in
good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been
maintained in accordance with GAAP; (iv) any Liens reserved in leases for rent
and for compliance with the terms of leases in the case of leasehold estates, to
the extent that any such Lien referred to in this clause does not materially
impair the use of the Property covered by such Lien for the purposes for which
such Property is held by the Company or any Subsidiary or materially impair the
value of such Property subject thereto; (v) encumbrances (other than to secure
the payment of borrowed money or the deferred purchase price of Property or
services), easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants,
exceptions or reservations in any rights of way or other Property of the Company
or any Subsidiary for the purpose of roads, pipelines, transmission lines,
transportation lines, distribution lines for the removal of gas, oil, coal or
other minerals or timber, and other like purposes, or for the joint or common
use of real estate, rights of way, facilities and equipment, and defects,
irregularities, zoning restrictions and deficiencies in title of any rights of

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way or other Property which in the aggregate do not materially impair the use of
such rights of way or other Property for the purposes of which such rights of
way and other Property are held by the Company or any Subsidiary or materially
impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (vi) deposits of cash or
securities to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory
obligations and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary
course of business; and (vii) Liens permitted by the Senior Credit Documents.

     "Existing Seller Notes" shall mean, collectively, each of those certain
subordinated promissory notes issued by the Company prior to the Closing Date to
Lester B. Greenberg, D.D.S.; John G. Goodman, D.D.S.; Alexander Soleimani,
D.M.D.; Elliot Schlang, D.D.S.; Martin Schechter, D.D.S.; Jeffrey D. Schechter,
D.D.S.; Dental Advisory Group, LLC; DCA Limited Partnership, L.L.P.; and Dental
Administrators of Texas Limited Partnership, L.L.P., in an aggregate amount
outstanding of $3,650,000 (including principal and interest that has accrued
thereunder, but excluding default interest).

     "Financial Statements" shall mean the financial statement or statements of
the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries described or referred to in
Section 7.02.

     "Florida Transaction" shall mean the sale of substantially all of the
property, assets and business relating to the Company's dental centers located
in Sarasota and Venice, Florida pursuant to that certain Asset Purchase
Agreement dated as of June 14, 2002, by and among Woolf Dentistry, P.A., a
Florida professional association, Castle Dental Centers of Florida, Inc., a
Florida corporation, and Castle 1st Dental Care, P.A., a Florida professional
association, in exchange for a release of that certain nine percent (9%)
Subordinated Note issued by the Company to Woolf Dentistry, P.A. on July 9,
1998, in the original principal amount of $370,000.

     "GAAP" shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United
States of America in effect from time to time.

     "Governmental Authority" shall include the country, the state, county, city
and political subdivisions in which any Person or such Person's Property is
located or which exercises valid jurisdiction over any such Person or such
Person's Property, and any court, agency, department, commission, board, bureau
or instrumentality of any of them including monetary authorities which exercises
valid jurisdiction over any such Person or such Person's Property. Unless
otherwise specified, all references to Governmental Authority herein shall mean
a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over, where applicable, the
Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their Property or any Holder.

     "Governmental Requirement" shall mean any law, statute, code, ordinance,
order, determination, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, injunction, franchise,
permit, certificate, license, authorization or other directive or requirement
(whether or not having the force of law), including, without limitation,
Environmental Laws, energy regulations and occupational, safety and health
standards or controls, of any Governmental Authority.

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     "Hedging Agreements" shall mean any interest rate swap, cap, floor, collar,
forward agreement or other protection agreements or any option with respect to
any such transaction.

     "Heller/Midwest Debt Exchange" shall mean the exchange by Heller and
Midwest of all liabilities and obligations owed to them by the Company pursuant
to that certain Senior Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement dated as of January
31, 2000 by and among Heller, Midwest and the Company for 119,520 and 59,760
shares of Series A Preferred Stock, respectively.

     "Highest Lawful Rate" shall mean the maximum nonusurious interest rate, if
any, that at any time or from time to time may be contracted for, taken,
reserved, charged or received on the Notes or on other Indebtedness under laws
applicable to Holders which are presently in effect or, to the extent allowed by
law, under such applicable laws which may hereafter be in effect and which allow
a higher maximum nonusurious interest rate than applicable laws now allow.

     "Indebtedness" shall mean any and all amounts owing or to be owing by the
Company or any Subsidiary to Holders in connection with the Subordinated Note
and Warrant Documents, now or hereafter entered into between or among the
Company, any of its Subsidiaries and any Holder, and all renewals, extensions
and/or rearrangements of any of the above.

     "Indemnified Parties" shall have the meaning assigned such term in Section
12.03(a)(ii).

     "Indemnity Matters" shall mean any and all actions, suits, proceedings
(including any investigations, litigation or inquiries), claims, demands and
causes of action made or threatened against a Person and, in connection
therewith, all losses, liabilities, damages (including, without limitation,
consequential damages) or reasonable costs and expenses of any kind or nature
whatsoever incurred by such Person whether caused by the sole or concurrent
negligence of such Person seeking indemnification.

     "Investors Agreement" shall mean that certain Investors Agreement of even
date herewith by and among the Company, Heller and Midwest.

     "Jack Castle" shall mean Jack H. Castle, Jr., an individual

     "Lien" shall mean any interest in Property securing an obligation owed to,
or a claim by, a Person other than the owner of the Property, whether such
interest is based on the common law, statute or contract, and whether such
obligation or claim is fixed or contingent, and including but not limited to the
lien or security interest arising from a mortgage, encumbrance, pledge, security
agreement, conditional sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment
for security purposes. The term "Lien" shall include reservations, exceptions,
encroachments, easements, rights of way, covenants, conditions, restrictions,
leases and other title exceptions and

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encumbrances affecting Property. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Company
or any Subsidiary shall be deemed to be the owner of any Property which it has
acquired or holds subject to a conditional sale agreement, or leases under a
financing lease or other arrangement pursuant to which title to the Property has
been retained by or vested in some other Person in a transaction intended to
create a financing.

     "Majority Lenders" shall mean the "Majority Lenders" as defined in the
Senior Credit Agreement.

     "Material Adverse Effect" shall mean any material and adverse effect on (i)
the assets, liabilities, financial condition, business, operations or affairs of
the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole different from those reflected
in the Financial Statements or from the facts represented or warranted in any
Subordinated Note and Warrant Document, or (ii) the ability of the Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to carry out their business as at the Closing
Date or as proposed as of the Closing Date to be conducted or meet their
obligations under the Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents or the
Restructuring Documents on a timely basis.

     "Multiemployer Plan" shall mean a Plan defined as such in Section 3(37) or
4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

     "Notes" shall have the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.01(a).

     "Other Taxes" shall have the meaning assigned such term in Section 4.03(b).

     "PBGC" shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any entity
succeeding to any or all of its functions.

     "Person" shall mean any individual, corporation, company, voluntary
association, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization,
Governmental Authority or any other form of entity.

     "Plan" shall mean any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in Section
3(2) of ERISA, which (i) is currently or hereafter sponsored, maintained or
contributed to by the Company, any Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate or (ii) was
at any time during the preceding six calendar years sponsored, maintained or
contributed to, by the Company, any Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate.

     "Post-Default Rate" shall mean, in respect of any principal of any Note or
any other amount payable by the Company under this Agreement or any other
Subordinated Note Document, a rate per annum during the period commencing on the
date of occurrence of an Event of Default until such amount is paid in full or
all Events of Default are cured or waived equal to eighteen percent (18%) per
annum.

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     "Prior Registration Rights Agreement" shall mean that certain Registration
Rights Agreement dated as of January 31, 2000, by and among the Company, Heller
and Midwest.

     "Prior Stockholders Agreement" shall mean that certain Stockholders
Agreement dated as of January 31, 2000, by and among the Company, Jack Castle,
Heller, Midwest, Delaware State Employees' Retirement Fund, Declaration of Trust
For Defined Benefit Plan of ICI American Holdings Inc., Declaration of Trust for
Defined Benefit Plan of Zeneca Holdings Inc., Jack H. Castle, Jr., as Trustee of
the Castle 1995 Gift Trust F/B/O Jack H. Castle, Jr., Castle Interests, Ltd.,
Jack H. Castle, D.D.S., Loretta M. Castle, and Gulfstar Investments, Ltd.

     "Prior Subordination Agreement" shall mean that certain Subordination and
Intercreditor Agreement dated as of January 31, 2000 by and among Heller,
Midwest, the Company, Castle Dental Centers of California, L.L.C., a Delaware
limited liability company, Dental World, Inc., a Texas corporation, Castle
Dental Centers of Austin, Inc., Castle dental Centers of Florida, Inc., a
Florida corporation, Castle Dental Centers of Tennessee, Inc., a Tennessee
corporation, Castle Dental Centers of Texas, Inc., a Texas corporation, Dentcor,
Inc., a Florida corporation, CDC of California, Inc., a Delaware corporation,
Castle Texas Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Academy for Dental
Assistants, Inc., a Florida corporation, and Bank of America, N.A., a national
banking association formerly known as NationsBank, N.A.

     "Property" shall mean any interest in any kind of property or asset,
whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible.

     "Proposal" shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.08

     "Quarterly Date" shall mean the fifteenth (15th) day of each January,
April, July and October, commencing October 15, 2002; provided, however, that if
any such day is not a Business Day, such Quarterly Date shall be the next
succeeding Business Day.

     "Registration Rights Agreement" shall mean that certain Registration Rights
Agreement, dated as of even date herewith, by and among the Company and the
stockholders party thereto.

     "Regulation D" shall mean Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System (or any successor), as the same may be amended or
supplemented from time to time.

     "Regulatory Change" shall mean any change after the Closing Date in any
Governmental Requirement (including Regulation D) or the adoption or making
after such date of any interpretations, directives or requests applying to a
class of lenders of or under any Governmental Requirement (whether or not having
the force of law) by any Governmental Authority charged with the interpretation
or administration thereof.

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     "Reporting Region" shall mean the dental centers and other business
operations for each of Houston, Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio,
Tennessee, Florida and California, all as more fully set forth in Schedule
8.01(e).

     "Responsible Officer" shall mean, as to any Person, the Chief Executive
Officer, the President or any Vice President of such Person and, with respect to
financial matters, the term "Responsible Officer" shall include the Chief
Financial Officer of such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references to
a Responsible Officer herein shall mean a Responsible Officer of the Company.

     "Restructuring Transactions" shall mean, collectively, the Heller/Midwest
Debt Exchange, the Roisman Settlement, the Seller Debt Exchange, the San Antonio
Transaction, the Florida Transaction, the Corpus Transactions and the amendment
of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company to create the Series A
Preferred Stock.

     "Restructuring Documents" shall mean the Senior Credit Documents and each
other document executed or delivered in connection with any of the Restructuring
Transactions, in each instance as in effect on the date hereof and as the same
may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time as permitted herein.

     "Roisman" shall mean, collectively, Leon D. Roisman, D.M.D., Leon D.
Roisman, D.M.D., Inc., a California corporation and Roisman Acquisition Company,
a California corporation.

     "Roisman Judgment" shall mean that certain judgment rendered against CDC
California, and California LLC, in favor of Roisman in Los Angeles County,
California Superior Court Case No. BS058068 on October 23, 2000, in the initial
amount of $1,108,210.62 plus interest at ten percent (10%) per annum from the
date of such judgment.

     "Roisman Settlement" shall mean the execution and delivery of that certain
Forbearance Agreement dated as of July 3, 2002 by and among CDC California,
California LLC and Roisman with respect to the Roisman Judgment.

     "San Antonio Transaction" means the issuance of Series A Preferred Stock
pursuant to the Settlement Agreement among the Company, Castle Texas, Castle PC,
Barry E. Solomon, Marc A. Solomon, Hebron D. Cutrer, Stan E. Faye, Robert
B.Grau, Dental Centers of America, Inc., Dental Administrators, Inc., Senior
Agent, Senior Lenders, General Electric Capital Corporation, a Delaware
corporation, Heller and Midwest.

     "SEC" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor
Governmental Authority.

     "Seller Debt Exchange" shall mean the exchange by the holders of Existing
Seller Notes

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of all liabilities and obligations owed to them by the Company pursuant to the
Seller Notes and all documents related thereto for an aggregate 32,002 shares of
Series A Preferred Stock.

     "Senior Agent" shall mean Bank of America, N.A., a national banking
association formerly known as NationsBank of Texas, N.A. (together with any duly
appointed successor) for the Senior Lenders.

     "Senior Credit Agreement" shall mean that certain Second Amended and
Restated Credit Agreement dated as of even date herewith, by and among the
Company, the Senior Agent and the Senior Lenders, as the same may hereafter be
amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified and in effect from time to
time as permitted herein and in the Subordination Agreement.

     "Senior Credit Documents" shall mean the Senior Credit Agreement and the
"Loan Documents" (as defined in the Senior Credit Agreement) in each instance as
in effect on the date hereof and as the same may be amended, modified or
supplemented from time to time as permitted herein.

     "Senior Indebtedness" shall mean "Senior Debt" as such term is defined in
the Subordination Agreement.

     "Senior Funded Debt" shall mean, at any date and with respect to the
Company and its Subsidiaries, all Debt for borrowed money (excluding the
Indebtedness and other Debt expressly subordinated to the Indebtedness in form
and substance satisfactory to the Holders), any capital lease obligations and
any guaranty with respect to Senior Funded Debt of another Person.

     "Senior Lenders" shall mean each Person that is or shall become a lender
under the Senior Credit Agreement for so long as such Person shall be a party to
that Agreement.

     "Series A Preferred Stock" shall mean the Series A-1 Convertible Preferred
Stock, $.001 par value per share, of the Company.

     "Special Entity" shall mean any joint venture, limited liability company or
partnership, general or limited partnership or any other type of partnership or
company other than a corporation in which the Company or one or more of its
other Subsidiaries is a member, owner, partner or joint venturer and owns,
directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the equity of such entity or
controls such entity, but excluding any tax partnerships that are not classified
as partnerships under state law. For purposes of this definition, any Person
which owns directly or indirectly an equity investment in another Person which
allows the first Person to manage or elect managers who manage the normal
activities of such second Person will be deemed to "control" such second Person
(e.g. a sole general partner controls a limited partnership).

     "Stockholders Agreement" shall mean that certain Stockholders Agreement,
dated as of

                                       11

<PAGE>

even date herewith, by and among the Company and the stockholders party thereto.

     "Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents" shall mean this Agreement, the
Notes, the Warrants, the Stockholders Agreement, the Registration Rights
Agreement and any other stockholder, registration or intercreditor agreement
between or among the holders of such stock, notes, warrants, debentures or other
instruments.

     "Subordination Agreement" shall mean that certain Subordination and
Intercreditor Agreement of even date herewith among the Company, Holders,
Subsidiaries and the Senior Agent, as such Agreement may be amended from time to
time as provided therein.

     "Subsidiary" shall mean (i) any corporation of which at least a majority of
the outstanding shares of stock having by the terms thereof ordinary voting
power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation
(irrespective of whether or not at the time stock of any other class or classes
of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the
happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned or
controlled by the Company or one (1) or more of its Subsidiaries or by the
Company and one (1) or more of its Subsidiaries and (ii) any Special Entity.
Unless otherwise indicated herein, each reference to the term "Subsidiary" shall
mean a Subsidiary of the Company.

     "Taxes" shall have the meaning assigned such term in Section 4.03(a).

     "Wholly-Owned Subsidiary" shall mean, as to the Company, any Subsidiary of
which all of the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests,
on a fully-diluted basis, are owned by the Company or one or more of the
Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries or by the Company and one or more of the Wholly-Owned
Subsidiaries.

     Section 1.03   Accounting Terms and Determinations. Unless otherwise
specified herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all
determinations with respect to accounting matters hereunder shall be made, and
all financial statements and certificates and reports as to financial matters
required to be furnished to Holders hereunder shall be prepared, in accordance
with GAAP, applied on a basis consistent with the audited financial statements
of the Company referred to in Section 7.02 (except for changes concurred with by
the Company's independent public accountants).

                                   ARTICLE II

                     PURCHASE AND SALE OF NOTES AND WARRANTS

     Section 2.01   Purchase and Sale of Notes and Warrants.

     (a)     Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees that it will issue and sell to each of Heller, Midwest and Usdan

                                       12

<PAGE>

and each of Heller, Midwest and Usdan agrees that it will acquire from the
Company, on the Closing Date, for the purchase price of $500,000, $500,000 and
$700,000, respectively, the Company's fifteen percent (15%) senior subordinated
convertible promissory notes in original principal amounts of $500,000, $500,000
and $700,000 each, respectively, in substantially the form attached hereto as
Exhibit A (together with any and all renewals, extensions for any period,
increases, rearrangements, substitutions or modifications thereof, the "Notes"),
which Notes shall initially be convertible into 913,417, 913,417 and 1,278,784
shares of Common Stock of the Company, respectively, constituting an aggregate
of three and three tenths percent (3.30%) of the fully diluted Common Stock of
the Company as of the date hereof. The holders of Notes will be entitled to the
benefits of the Stockholders Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.

     (b)     Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees that it will issue and sell to each of Heller, Midwest and Usdan, and
each of Heller, Midwest and Usdan agrees that it will acquire from the Company,
on the Closing Date, for the purchase price of $0, $0 and $0, respectively,
warrants of the Company representing the right to acquire 5,286,489, 5,286,489
and 7,401,084 shares of Common Stock of the Company each, respectively,
constituting an aggregate of nineteen and four tenths of one percent (19.4%) of
the fully diluted Common Stock of the Company as of the date hereof, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (together with any and all
renewals, extensions for any period, increases, rearrangements, substitutions or
modifications thereof, the "Warrants"). The holders of Warrants will be entitled
to the benefits of the Stockholders Agreement and the Registration Rights
Agreement.

     (c)     The Company and each Holder acknowledge that the purchase prices
set forth above for each of the Notes and Warrants represent their relative fair
market values and agree to be bound by this allocation for all tax purposes
pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.1273-2(h).

                                   ARTICLE III

                       PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST

     Section 3.01   Payment of Notes. The aggregate outstanding principal
balance of the Notes and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon shall be
payable on June 30, 2007.

     Section 3.02   Interest.

     (a)     Interest Rates. Interest on the unpaid principal amount of the
Notes for the period commencing on the Closing Date to, but excluding, the date
such Notes shall be paid in full, shall accrue at the rate per annum equal to
fifteen percent (15%), except as provided in Section 5.01.

     (b)     Post-Default Rate. Interest at the applicable Post-Default Rate
shall accrue on

                                       13

<PAGE>

any principal of any Note, and (to the fullest extent permitted by law) on any
other amount payable by the Company hereunder or under any Subordinated Note
Document, for the period commencing on the date of an Event of Default until the
same is paid in full or all Events of Default are cured or waived.

     (c)     Due Dates. Interest on the unpaid principal amount of the Notes at
the rate of fifteen percent (15%) per annum from the Closing Date or the
immediately preceding Quarterly Date, as applicable, shall be capitalized, be
compounded and added to the then unpaid principal amount of the Notes as of each
Quarterly Date. As used herein and in the other Subordinated Note and Warrant
Documents, the phrase "unpaid principal amount of the Notes" and other similar
phrases shall mean the original aggregate principal amount of $1,700,000, as
reduced by payments of principal and increased by capitalized interest as
provided herein.

     Section 3.03   Prepayments.

     (a)     Voluntary Prepayments. The Company shall not be permitted to
voluntarily prepay the Notes.

     (b)     Mandatory Prepayments. Concurrently with the consummation of a
Change in Control, Company shall pay the outstanding principal of the Notes
(together with accrued interest and, if applicable, the prepayment fee described
below).

     (c)     Pro Rata Payments and Treatment; Notice to Holders.

             (i)    All interest payments and payments of principal shall be
made and applied pro rata on all outstanding Notes in accordance with the
respective unpaid principal amounts thereof.

             (ii)   If any Holder (a "Benefited Holder") shall at any time
receive any payment under such Benefited Holder's Note or Notes, (whether from
the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, affiliates or otherwise and whether by
set-off, exercise of subrogation rights or otherwise) in a greater proportion
than its ratable share as set forth in clause (i) above, then such Benefited
Holder shall deliver such excess payment ratably to the other Holders and
thereafter shall be deemed to have purchased for cash from such other Holders
such participations in the other Holders' Notes as shall be necessary to cause
the Benefited Holder to share the excess ratably with the other Holders;
provided, however, if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter
recovered from the Benefited Holder, such purchase shall be rescinded, and the
excess payment shall be returned to the Benefited Holder to the extent of such
recovery, but without interest. The Company agrees that each Holder so
purchasing a participation in another Holder's Note may exercise all rights of
payment (including, without limitation, rights of set-off, and subrogation) with
respect to such participation so purchased as if such Holder was the direct
creditor of the Company in the amount of such participation.

                                       14

<PAGE>

             (iii)  Each Holder agrees to give prior notice as soon as
reasonably practicable of its intention to: (A) receive a Mandatory Prepayment
or (B) issue a notice accelerating its Note under Section 10.2(a).

                                   ARTICLE IV

                          PAYMENTS; COMPUTATIONS; ETC.

     Section 4.01   Payments. Except to the extent otherwise provided herein,
all payments of principal, interest and other amounts to be made by the Company
under this Agreement and the Notes shall be made in Dollars, in immediately
available funds, to each Holder at such account as such Holder shall specify by
notice to the Company from time to time, not later than 11:00 a.m. Chicago time
on the date on which such payments shall become due (each such payment made
after such time on such due date to be deemed to have been made on the next
succeeding Business Day). Such payments shall be made without (to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable law) defense, set-off or counterclaim. If the due
date of any payment under this Agreement or any Note would otherwise fall on a
day which is not a Business Day such date shall be extended to the next
succeeding Business Day and interest shall be payable for any principal so
extended for the period of such extension.

     Section 4.02   Computations. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a
year of 360 days and actual days elapsed (including the first day but excluding
the last day) occurring in the period for which such interest is payable, unless
such calculation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case interest
shall be calculated on the per annum basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the
case may be.

     Section 4.03   Taxes.

     (a)     Payments Free and Clear. Any and all payments by the Company
hereunder shall be made, in accordance with Section 4.01, free and clear of and
without deduction for any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts,
deductions, charges or withholdings, and all liabilities with respect thereto,
excluding, in the case of any Holder, taxes imposed on its income, and franchise
or similar taxes imposed on it, by (i) any jurisdiction (or political
subdivision thereof) of which such Holder is a citizen or resident, (ii) the
jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) in which such Holder is
organized, or (iii) any jurisdiction (or political subdivision thereof) in which
such Holder is presently doing business which taxes are imposed solely as a
result of doing business in such jurisdiction (all such non-excluded taxes,
levies, imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities being
hereinafter referred to as "Taxes"). If the Company shall be required by law to
deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable hereunder to any Holder
(i) the sum payable shall be increased by the amount necessary so that after
making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional
sums payable

                                       15

<PAGE>

under this Section 4.03) such Holder shall receive an amount equal to the sum it
would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Company shall
make such deductions and (iii) the Company shall pay the full amount deducted to
the relevant taxing authority or other Governmental Authority in accordance with
applicable law and provide such Holder with a receipt thereof.

     (b)     Other Taxes. In addition, to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law, the Company agrees to pay any present or future stamp or
documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar
levies that arise from any payment made hereunder or from the execution,
delivery or registration of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement, any
assignment of the Notes, the Warrants, Common Stock issued upon conversion of
all or any portion of the Notes or exercise of all or any portion of the
Warrants (hereinafter referred to as "Other Taxes").

     (c)     INDEMNIFICATION. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW,
THE COMPANY WILL INDEMNIFY EACH HOLDER FOR THE FULL AMOUNT OF TAXES AND OTHER
TAXES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY TAXES OR OTHER TAXES IMPOSED BY ANY
GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY ON AMOUNTS PAYABLE UNDER THIS SECTION 4.03) PAID BY SUCH
HOLDER AND ANY LIABILITY (INCLUDING PENALTIES, INTEREST AND EXPENSES) ARISING
THEREFROM OR WITH RESPECT THERETO, WHETHER OR NOT SUCH TAXES OR OTHER TAXES WERE
CORRECTLY OR LEGALLY ASSERTED UNLESS THE PAYMENT OF SUCH TAXES WAS NOT CORRECTLY
OR LEGALLY ASSERTED AND SUCH HOLDER'S PAYMENT OF SUCH TAXES OR OTHER TAXES WAS
THE RESULT OF ITS GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT. ANY PAYMENT PURSUANT
TO SUCH INDEMNIFICATION SHALL BE MADE WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE DATE A
HOLDER MAKES WRITTEN DEMAND THEREFOR. IF A HOLDER RECEIVES A REFUND OR CREDIT IN
RESPECT OF ANY TAXES OR OTHER TAXES FOR WHICH SUCH HOLDER HAS RECEIVED PAYMENT
FROM THE COMPANY IT SHALL PROMPTLY NOTIFY THE COMPANY OF SUCH REFUND OR CREDIT
AND SHALL, IF NO DEFAULT HAS OCCURRED AND IS CONTINUING, WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS
AFTER RECEIPT OF A REQUEST BY THE COMPANY (OR PROMPTLY UPON RECEIPT, IF THE
COMPANY HAS REQUESTED APPLICATION FOR SUCH REFUND OR CREDIT PURSUANT HERETO),
PAY AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO SUCH REFUND OR CREDIT TO THE COMPANY WITHOUT INTEREST
(BUT WITH ANY INTEREST SO REFUNDED OR CREDITED), PROVIDED THAT THE COMPANY, UPON
THE REQUEST OF A HOLDER, AGREES TO RETURN SUCH REFUND OR CREDIT (PLUS PENALTIES,
INTEREST OR OTHER CHARGES) TO SUCH HOLDER IN THE EVENT SUCH HOLDER IS REQUIRED
TO REPAY SUCH REFUND OR CREDIT.

                                       16

<PAGE>

                                    ARTICLE V

                                CAPITAL ADEQUACY

     Section 5.01   Capital Adequacy.

     (a)     Capital Adequacy. The Company shall pay directly to each affected
Holder from time to time on request such amounts as such Holder may reasonably
determine to be necessary to compensate itself or its parent or holding company
for any costs which it determines are attributable to the maintenance by such
Holder or its parent or holding company, pursuant to any Governmental
Requirement following any Regulatory Change, of capital in respect of the Notes,
such compensation to include, without limitation, an amount equal to any
reduction of the rate of return on assets or equity of such Holder or its parent
or holding company to a level below that which such Holder or its parent or
holding company could have achieved but for such Governmental Requirement. Each
affected Holder will notify the Company that it is entitled to compensation
pursuant to this Section 5.01(a) as promptly as practicable after it determines
to request such compensation.

     (b)     Compensation Procedure. Upon notifying the Company of the
incurrence of additional costs under this Section 5.01, the affected Holder
shall in such notice to the Company set forth in reasonable detail the basis and
amount of its request for compensation. Determinations and allocations by such
Holder for purposes of this Section 5.01 of the amounts required to compensate
such Holder under this Section 5.01, shall be conclusive and binding for all
purposes, provided that such determinations and allocations are made on a
reasonable basis. Any request for additional compensation under this Section
5.01 shall be paid by the Company within thirty (30) days of the receipt by the
Company of the notice described in this Section 5.01(b).

                                   ARTICLE VI

                              CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     Section 6.01   Conditions to Purchase.

     The obligation of Holders to purchase the Notes and Warrants is subject to
the receipt by Holders of all of the following documents and satisfaction of the
other conditions provided in this Section 6.01, each of which shall be
reasonably satisfactory to Holders in form and substance:

     (a)     A certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the
Company setting forth (i) resolutions of its board of directors with respect to
the authorization of the Company to execute and deliver the Subordinated Note
and Warrant Documents and the Restructuring

                                       17

<PAGE>

Documents to which it is a party and to enter into the transactions contemplated
in those documents, (ii) the officers of the Company (y) who are authorized to
sign the Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents and the Restructuring Documents
to which Company is a party and (z) who will, until replaced by another officer
or officers duly authorized for that purpose, act as its representative for the
purposes of signing documents and giving notices and other communications in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii)
specimen signatures of the authorized officers, and (iv) the articles or
certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company, certified as being true
and complete. Holders may conclusively rely on such certificate until it
receives notice in writing from the Company to the contrary.

     (b)     A certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of each
Subsidiary setting forth (i) resolutions of its board of directors with respect
to the authorization of such Subsidiary to execute and deliver the Subordinated
Note and Warrant Documents and the Restructuring Documents to which it is a
party and to enter into the transactions contemplated in those documents, (ii)
the officers of such Subsidiary (y) who are authorized to sign the Subordinated
Note and Warrant Documents and the Restructuring Documents to which such
Subsidiary is a party and (z) who will, until replaced by another officer or
officers duly authorized for that purpose, act as its representative for the
purposes of signing documents and giving notices and other communications in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii)
specimen signatures of the authorized officers, and (iv) the articles or
certificate of incorporation and bylaws of such Subsidiary, certified as being
true and complete. Holders may conclusively rely on such certificate until they
receive notice in writing from such Subsidiary to the contrary.

     (c)     Certificates of the appropriate state agencies with respect to the
existence, qualification and good standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

     (d)     A compliance certificate which shall be substantially in the form
of Exhibit C hereto, duly and properly executed by a Responsible Officer and
dated as of the Closing Date.

     (e)     The Notes and the Warrants, duly completed, executed and delivered
to each Holder, as applicable.

     (f)     Opinions of Haynes and Boone, LLP, counsel to the Company and
Subsidiaries, in form and substance satisfactory to Holders, as to such matters
incident to the transactions herein contemplated as Holders may reasonably
request.

     (g)     A certificate of insurance coverage of the Company evidencing that
the Company is carrying insurance in accordance with Section 7.19.

     (h)     Unaudited pro forma projected consolidated balance sheet of the
Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries at the Closing Date (which pro forma
shall be based on the

                                       18

<PAGE>

consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as
of March 31, 2002).

     (i)     Certified copies of the Senior Credit Documents, the promissory
notes evidencing the Debt described on Schedule 9.01 and the Subordination
Agreement.

     (j)     Stockholders Agreement, Investors Agreement and Registration Rights
Agreement duly completed, executed and delivered to Holders.

     (k)     payment of all legal fees and other reasonable expenses incurred by
Heller and Midwest incurred in connection with the preparation, execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

     (l)     consummation of the Restructuring Transactions on terms and
conditions and pursuant to the Restructuring Documents acceptable in form and
substance to the Holders.

     (m)     termination of the Prior Subordination Agreement, the Prior
Registration Rights Agreement and the Prior Stockholders Agreement.

     (n)     with respect to Midwest, duly executed and completed (i) SBA Form
480 (Size Status Declaration) and SBA Form 652 (Assurance of Compliance), (ii)
SBA Form 1031 (Portfolio Finance Report), Part A and B, and (iii) letter
regarding SBA matters in form and substance acceptable to Midwest.

     (o)     such other documents as Holders or special counsel to Holders may
reasonably request.

                                   ARTICLE VII

                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     The  Company represents and warrants to each Holder:

     Section 7.01   Corporate Existence. Each of the Company and each
Subsidiary: (i) is a corporation or limited liability company duly organized,
legally existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation or formation; (ii) has all requisite corporate or limited
liability company power, and has all material governmental licenses,
authorizations, consents and approvals necessary to own its assets and carry on
its business as now being or as proposed to be conducted; and (iii) is qualified
to do business in all jurisdictions in which the nature of the business
conducted by it makes such qualification necessary and where failure so to
qualify would have a Material Adverse Effect.

                                       19

<PAGE>

     Section 7.02   Financial Condition. The audited consolidated balance sheet
of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2001 and the
related consolidated statement of income, stockholders' equity and cash flow of
the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended on said
date, with the opinion thereon of Pricewaterhouse Coopers L.L.P. heretofore
furnished to Holders and the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Company
and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as at May 31, 2002 and their related
consolidated statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flow of the
Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for the five (5) month period ended on
such date heretofore furnished to Holders, are complete and correct and fairly
present the consolidated financial condition of the Company and its Consolidated
Subsidiaries as at said dates and the results of its operations for the fiscal
year and the five (5) month period on said dates, all in accordance with GAAP,
as applied on a consistent basis (subject, in the case of the interim financial
statements, to normal year-end adjustments). Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary has on the Closing Date any material Debt, contingent liabilities,
liabilities for taxes, unusual forward or long-term commitments or unrealized or
anticipated losses from any unfavorable commitments, except as referred to or
reflected or provided for in the Financial Statements or in Schedule 7.02. Since
December 31, 2001, there has been no change or event having a Material Adverse
Effect. Since the date of the Financial Statements, neither the business nor the
Properties of the Company or any Subsidiary have been materially and adversely
affected as a result of any fire, explosion, earthquake, flood, drought,
windstorm, accident, strike or other labor disturbance, embargo, requisition or
taking of Property or cancellation of contracts, permits or concessions by any
Governmental Authority, riot, activities of armed forces or acts of God or of
any public enemy. The unaudited pro forma projected consolidated balance sheet
of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries at the Closing Date (which
proforma shall be based on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries as of March 31, 2002, adjusted to reflect the
transactions contemplated herein), and the unaudited pro forma projected
consolidated statement of income of the Company and its Consolidated
Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date, heretofore furnished to Holders, represent
Company's best estimate of the pro forma projected consolidated financial
condition of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as at the Closing
Date after giving effect to the transactions contemplated herein provided
projections as to future performance should not be construed as a guarantee of
future performance.

     Section 7.03   Litigation. Except as set forth on Schedule 7.03, at the
Closing Date there is no litigation, legal, administrative or arbitral
proceeding, investigation or other action of any nature pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company threatened against or affecting the Company or any
Subsidiary which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

     Section 7.04   No Breach. Neither the execution and delivery of the
Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents or the Restructuring Documents, nor
compliance with the terms and provisions hereof or thereof will conflict with or
result in a breach of, or require any consent which has not been obtained as of
the Closing Date under, the respective charter or by-laws of

                                       20

<PAGE>

the Company or any Subsidiary, or any Governmental Requirement or any material
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by
which it is bound or to which it or its Properties are subject, or constitute a
default under any such material agreement or instrument, or result in the
creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of the revenues or assets of the
Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to the terms of any such material agreement
or instrument other than the Liens created by the Senior Credit Documents.

     Section 7.05   Authority. The Company and each Subsidiary have all
necessary corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its
respective obligations under the Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents and the
Restructuring Documents to which it is a party. The execution, delivery and
performance by the Company and each Subsidiary of the Subordinated Note and
Warrant Documents and the Restructuring Documents to which it is a party, have
been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on its part. The
Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents and the Restructuring Documents
constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company and each
Subsidiary, enforceable in accordance with their terms.

     Section 7.06   Approvals. No authorizations, approvals or consents of, and
no filings or registrations with, any Governmental Authority are necessary for
the execution, delivery or performance by the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents or the Restructuring Documents to which
it is a party or for the validity or enforceability thereof, other than the
filing with the Secretary of State of Delaware of a certificate of amendment to
the certificate of incorporation of the Company which either increases the
number of authorized shares of the Common Stock of the Company or effects a
reverse stock split (the "Authorized Share Amendment"), which will be filed when
it is approved at the next meeting of the stockholders of the Company.

     Section 7.07   Use of Note and Warrant Proceeds. The proceeds of the sale
of the Notes and Warrants hereunder shall be used to provide financing for (i)
payment of costs and expenses payable to Senior Agent and the Senior Lenders
pursuant to the Senior Credit Agreement and (ii) payment of other costs and
expenses incurred by the Company incurred with respect to the Restructuring
Transactions. The Company is not engaged principally, or as one of its important
activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose, whether
immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying margin stock (within
the meaning of Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System) and no part of the proceeds of the Notes will be used to buy or
carry any margin stock.

     Section 7.08   ERISA.

     (a)     The Company, each Subsidiary and each ERISA Affiliate have complied
in all material respects with ERISA and, where applicable, the Code regarding
each Plan.

     (b)     Each Plan is, and has been, maintained in substantial compliance
with ERISA

                                       21

<PAGE>

and, where applicable, the Code.

     (c)     No act, omission or transaction has occurred which could result in
imposition on the Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate (whether
directly or indirectly) of (i) either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to
section 502(c), (i) or (l) of ERISA or a tax imposed pursuant to Chapter 43 of
Subtitle D of the Code or (ii) breach of fiduciary duty liability damages under
section 409 of ERISA.

     (d)     No liability to the PBGC (other than for the payment of current
premiums which are not past due) by the Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA
Affiliate has been or is expected by the Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA
Affiliate to be incurred with respect to any Plan. No ERISA Event with respect
to any Plan has occurred.

     (e)     Full payment when due has been made of all amounts which the
Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate is required under the terms of
each Plan or applicable law to have paid as contributions to such Plan, and no
accumulated funding deficiency (as defined in section 302 of ERISA and section
412 of the Code), whether or not waived, exists with respect to any Plan.

     (f)     The actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under each
Plan which is subject to Title IV of ERISA does not, as of the end of the
Company's most recently ended fiscal year, exceed the current value of the
assets (computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of
ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities. The term "actuarial
present value of the benefit liabilities" shall have the meaning specified in
section 4041 of ERISA.

     (g)     None of the Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate
sponsors, maintains, or contributes to an employee welfare benefit plan, as
defined in section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan
maintained to provide benefits to former employees of such entities, that may
not be terminated by the Company, a Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate in its
sole discretion at any time without any material liability.

     (h)     None of the Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate
sponsors, maintains or contributes to, or has at any time in the preceding six
calendar years, sponsored, maintained or contributed to, any Multiemployer Plan.

     (i)     None of the Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate is
required to provide security under section 401(a)(29) of the Code due to a Plan
amendment that results in an increase in current liability for the Plan.

     Section 7.09   Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed
all United States Federal income tax returns and all other tax returns which are
required to be filed by them and have paid all material taxes due pursuant to
such returns or pursuant to any assessment

                                       22

<PAGE>

received by the Company or any Subsidiary. The charges, accruals and reserves on
the books of the Company and its Subsidiaries in respect of taxes and other
governmental charges are, in the opinion of the Company, adequate. No tax lien
has been filed and, to the knowledge of the Company, no claim is being asserted
with respect to any such tax, fee or other charge.

     Section 7.10   Titles, etc.

     (a)     Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has good and defensible
title to its material (individually or in the aggregate) Properties, free and
clear of all Liens, except Liens permitted by Section 9.02.

     (b)     All leases and agreements necessary for the conduct of the business
of the Company and its Subsidiaries are valid and subsisting, in full force and
effect and there exists no default or event or circumstance which with the
giving of notice or the passage of time or both would give rise to a default
under any such lease or leases, which would affect in any material respect the
conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

     (c)     The licenses, rights, Properties and other assets presently owned,
leased or licensed by the Company and its Subsidiaries, include all rights,
Properties and other assets necessary to permit the Company and its Subsidiaries
to conduct their business in all material respects in the same manner as its
business has been conducted prior to the Closing Date.

     (d)     All of the assets and Properties of the Company and its
Subsidiaries which are reasonably necessary for the operation of its business
are in good working condition and are maintained in accordance with prudent
business standards.

     Section 7.11   No Material Misstatements. No written information,
statement, exhibit, certificate, document or report furnished to Holders by the
Company or any Subsidiary in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement
contained any material misstatement of fact or omitted to state a material fact
or any fact necessary to make the statement contained therein not materially
misleading in the light of the circumstances in which made and with respect to
the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

     Section 7.12   Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary is an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by an
"investment company," within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended.

     Section 7.13   Public Utility Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor
any Subsidiary is a "holding company," or a "subsidiary company" of a "holding
company," or an "affiliate" of a "holding company" or of a "subsidiary company"
of a "holding company," or a "public utility" within the meaning of the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended.

                                       23

<PAGE>

     Section 7.14   Subsidiaries. Except as set forth on Schedule 7.14, the
Company has no Subsidiaries. In the event that a new Subsidiary is formed or
acquired, Company will provide Holders with a new, updated Schedule 7.14.

     Section 7.15   Location of Business and Offices. The Company's principal
place of business and chief executive offices are located at the address stated
on the signature page of this Agreement. The principal place of business and
chief executive office of each Subsidiary are located at the addresses stated on
Schedule 7.14.

     Section 7.16   Defaults. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in
default nor has any event or circumstance occurred which, but for the expiration
of any applicable grace period or the giving of notice, or both, would
constitute a default under any agreement or instrument to which the Company or
any Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary is bound
which default would have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default hereunder or
under the Senior Credit Documents has occurred and is continuing.

     Section 7.17   Environmental Matters. Except as would not have a Material
Adverse Effect, neither any Property of the Company nor any Subsidiary nor the
operations conducted thereon violate any law, order or requirement of any court
or Governmental Authority or any Environmental Laws.

     Section 7.18   Compliance with the Law. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary has violated any Governmental Requirement or failed to obtain any
license, permit, franchise or other governmental authorization necessary for the
ownership of any of its Properties or the conduct of its business, which
violation or failure would have (in the event such violation or failure were
asserted by any Person through appropriate action) a Material Adverse Effect.

     Section 7.19   Insurance. Schedule 7.19 attached hereto contains an
accurate and complete description of all material policies of fire, liability,
workmen's compensation and other forms of insurance owned or held by the Company
and each Subsidiary. All such policies are in full force and effect, all
premiums with respect thereto covering all periods up to and including the date
of the closing have been paid, and no notice of cancellation or termination has
been received with respect to any such policy. Such policies are sufficient for
compliance with all requirements of law and of all agreements to which the
Company or any Subsidiary is a party; are valid, outstanding and enforceable
policies; provide adequate insurance coverage in at least such amounts and
against at least such risks (but including in any event public liability) as are
usually insured against in the same general area by companies engaged in the
same or a similar business for the assets and operations of the Company and each
Subsidiary; will remain in full force and effect through the respective dates
set forth in Schedule 7.19 without the payment of additional premiums; and will
not in any way be affected by, or terminate or lapse by reason of, the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Schedule 7.19 identifies all
material risks, if any, which the Company and its Subsidiaries and their
respective Board of Directors or officers have designated as being self insured.
Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has been refused

                                       24

<PAGE>

any insurance with respect to its assets or operations, nor has its coverage
been limited below usual and customary policy limits, by an insurance carrier to
which it has applied for any such insurance or with which it has carried
insurance during the last three (3) years. In the event that a new Subsidiary is
formed or acquired, Company will provide Holders with a new, updated Schedule
7.19.

     Section 7.20   Restriction on Liens. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is a party to any agreement or arrangement (other than the Senior
Credit Agreement and the Senior Credit Documents), or subject to any order,
judgment, writ or decree, which either restricts or purports to restrict its
ability to grant Liens to other Persons on or in respect of their respective
assets or Properties, except for Property subject to Liens permitted under
Section 9.02.

     Section 7.21   Material Agreements. Set forth on Schedule 7.21 hereto is a
complete and correct list of all material credit agreements, indentures,
purchase agreements, obligations in respect of letters of credit, guarantees,
joint venture agreements, and other instruments in effect or to be in effect as
of the Closing Date (other than Hedging Agreements) providing for, evidencing,
securing or otherwise relating to any Debt of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in excess of $250,000, and all obligations of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries to issuers of surety or appeal bonds issued for account of the
Company or any such Subsidiary in excess of $250,000, and such list correctly
sets forth the names of the debtor or lessee and creditor or lessor with respect
to the Debt or lease obligations outstanding or to be outstanding and the
Property subject to any Lien securing such Debt or lease obligation. In the
event that a new Subsidiary is formed or acquired, Company will provide each
Holder with a new, updated Schedule 7.21.

     Section 7.22   Hedging Agreements. Schedule 7.22 sets forth, as of the
Closing Date, a true and complete list of all Hedging Agreements of the Company,
the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date,
termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the net mark to market value
thereof, all credit support agreements relating thereto (including any margin
required or supplied), and the counterparty to each such agreement.

     Section 7.23   Capitalization. The authorized capital stock and other
equity securities of each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is as set
forth on Schedule 7.23. All issued and outstanding shares of capital stock and
other equity securities of each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries are
duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid, non-assessable, free and clear
of all Liens other than those in favor of Senior Agent, and such shares were
issued in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws concerning the
issuance of securities. No shares of the capital stock of Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, other than those described above, are issued and outstanding.
Except as set forth on Schedule 7.23, all of the issued and outstanding capital
stock and other equity securities of Subsidiaries of the Company are owned by
the Company. Following the filing of the Authorized Share Amendment, the Common
Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes and the Common Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Warrants will, when issued, be duly authorized, validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable.

                                       25

<PAGE>

Except as provided in the Stockholders Agreement and as set forth on Schedule
7.23, there are no preemptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants,
conversion rights or similar agreements or understandings for the purchase or
acquisition from Company or any of its Subsidiaries, of any shares of capital
stock or other securities of any such entity.

     Section 7.24   Restructuring Documents. Each of the representations and
warranties of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries contained in each of the
Restructuring Documents is true, correct and complete and is hereby incorporated
herein by this reference thereto.

                                  ARTICLE VIII

                              AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     The Company covenants and agrees that, so long as any of the Notes are
outstanding and, with respect to Sections 8.01(a), 8.01(b), 8.01(c), 8.01(d) and
8.03, so long as any of the Warrants or Common Stock issued upon conversion of
all or any portion of the Notes or exercise of all or any portion of the
Warrants are outstanding and held by a Holder or an Affiliate thereof
(including, for such purpose, partners of any Holder which is a partnership):

     Section 8.01 Reporting Requirements. The Company shall deliver, or shall
cause to be delivered, to each Holder:

     (a)     Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available and in any
event within one hundred five (105) days after the end of each fiscal year of
the Company, the audited consolidated and unaudited consolidating statements of
income, stockholders' equity, changes in financial position and cash flow of the
Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, and the related
consolidated and consolidating balance sheets of the Company and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and setting forth
in each case in comparative form the corresponding figures for the preceding
fiscal year, and accompanied by the related opinion of independent public
accountants of recognized national standing acceptable to the Holders which
opinion shall state that said financial statements fairly present in all
material respects the consolidated and consolidating financial condition and
results of operations of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as at the
end of, and for, such fiscal year and that such financial statements have been
prepared in accordance with GAAP, except for such changes in such principles
with which the independent public accountants shall have concurred and such
opinion shall not contain a "going concern" or like qualification or exception,
and a certificate of such accountants stating that, in making the examination
necessary for their opinion, they obtained no knowledge, except as specifically
stated, of any Default.

     (b)     Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available and in any
event within fifty (50) days after the end of each of the first three (3) fiscal
quarterly periods of each fiscal year of the Company, consolidated and
consolidating statements of income, stockholders' equity, changes in financial
position and cash flow of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for

                                       26

<PAGE>

such period and for the period from the beginning of the respective fiscal year
to the end of such period, and the related consolidated and consolidating
balance sheets as at the end of such period, and setting forth in each case in
comparative form the corresponding figures for the corresponding period in the
preceding fiscal year, accompanied by the certificate of a Responsible Officer,
which certificate shall state that said financial statements fairly present in
all material respects the consolidated and consolidating financial condition and
results of operations of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries in
accordance with GAAP, as at the end of, and for, such period (subject to normal
year-end audit adjustments).

     (c)     Monthly Financial Statements. As soon as available and in any
event within thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar month, the
Company-prepared consolidated and consolidating statements of income and cash
flow of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such period and for
the period from the beginning of the respective fiscal year to the end of such
period, and the related consolidated and consolidating balance sheets as at the
end of such period, and setting forth in each case in comparative form the
corresponding figures for the corresponding period in the preceding fiscal year,
accompanied by the certificate of a Responsible Officer, which certificate shall
state that said financial statements fairly present the consolidated and
consolidating financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and
its Consolidated Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, as at the end of, and
for, such period (subject to normal year end audit adjustments).

     (d)     Accounts Receivable. As soon as available and in any event within
thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar month, (i) a report in form
reasonably satisfactory to the Holders reflecting the aging and collection of
the receivables of the Company and its Subsidiaries and (ii) such other reports
with respect to receivables as deemed reasonably necessary by the Holders.

     (e)     Quarterly Regional Reports. As soon as available and in any event
within forty five (45) days after the end of each of quarterly period of each
fiscal year of the Company, statements of EBITDA for each Reporting Region for
such period and for the period from the beginning of the fiscal year to the end
of such period. Such statements shall be accompanied by a certificate of a
Responsible Officer as to the good faith preparation of such report.

     (f)     Monthly Regional Statements. As soon as available and in any
event within thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar month of each
fiscal year of the Company, statements of EBITDA for each Reporting Region for
such period and for the period from the beginning of the respective fiscal year
to the end of such period. Such statements shall be accompanied by a certificate
of a Responsible Officer as to the good faith preparation of such report.

     (g)     Excess Cash Flow. As soon as available but no later than thirty
(30) days after April 30 of each year commencing April 30, 2003, a copy of the
"Excess Cash Flow Certificate" (as such term is defined in the Senior Credit
Agreement) of a Responsible Officer of the Company setting forth in reasonable
detail the Company's calculation of "Excess Cash Flow" (as such term is defined
in the Senior Credit Agreement) and for each month after April 30 of each

                                       27

<PAGE>

year for which an "Annual Cash Flow Payment" (as such term is defined in the
Senior Credit Agreement) remains unpaid and is outstanding, and, on the last day
of each month thereafter until such Annual Cash Flow Payment is received by the
Senior Agent in accordance with the terms of the Senior Credit Agreement, a
"Cash Flow Differential Certificate" (as such term is defined in the Senior
Credit Agreement) of a Responsible Officer of the Company setting forth in
reasonable detail the Company's calculation of current "Cash on Hand" (as such
term is defined in the Senior Credit Agreement) and the amount of the unpaid
Annual Cash Flow Payment (as such term is defined in the Senior Credit
Agreement) due for such month.

     (h)     Cash Flow Forecast. Monthly, a rolling thirteen (13) week cash
flow forecast.

     (i)     Budget. As soon as available and in any event within thirty (30)
days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, a budget for the Company
and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, as approved by the board of directors of the
Company, for the following fiscal year setting forth in comparative form
corresponding figures from the preceding fiscal year, in reasonable detail.

     (j)     Notice of Default, Etc. Promptly after the Company knows that any
Default or any Material Adverse Effect has occurred, a notice of such Default or
Material Adverse Effect, describing the same in reasonable detail and the action
the Company proposes to take with respect thereto.

     (k)     Other Accounting Reports. Promptly upon receipt thereof, (i) a
copy of each other report or letter submitted to the Company or any Subsidiary
by independent accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special
audit made by them of the books of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) a copy
of any response by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or the Board of
Directors of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, to such letter or
report and (iii) any reports which the Holders, Senior Agent or Senior Lenders
may reasonably request.

     (l)     SEC Filings, Etc. Promptly upon its becoming available (and no
later than 10 Business Days after a filing by the Company), each financial
statement, report, notice or proxy statement sent by the Company to stockholders
generally and each regular or periodic report and any registration statement,
prospectus or written communication (other than transmittal letters) in respect
thereof filed by the Company with or received by the Company in connection
therewith from any securities exchange or the SEC (including forms 10K, 10Q and
8K) or any successor agency.

     (m)     Notices Under Other Loan Agreements. Promptly after the
furnishing thereof, copies of any material statement, report or notice furnished
to or any Person pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or other
similar agreement, other than this Agreement and not otherwise required to be
furnished to the Holders pursuant to any other provision of this Section 8.01.

                                       28

<PAGE>

     (n)     Annual Revenue Reports. As soon as available and in any event
within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, a
report prepared by the Company for each dental center setting forth the
revenues, expenses and contributions to profit of such dental center in form and
substance acceptable to the Holders.

     (o)     Quarterly Revenue Reports. As soon as available and in any event
within forty five (45) days after each of the first three (3) fiscal quarterly
periods of each fiscal year of the Company, a report by the Company for each
dental center generally in the form previously provided by the Company and
otherwise in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Holders.

     (p)     Plan Report. From time to time such other information regarding the
business, affairs or financial condition of the Company or any Subsidiary
(including, without limitation, any Plan or Multiemployer Plan and any reports
or other information required to be filed under ERISA) as the Holders may
reasonably request.

     (q)     Capital Expenditures Budget. Promptly upon becoming available and
in any event within thirty (30) days after the end of each fiscal year of the
Company, a capital expenditure budget for the next (or present, as applicable)
fiscal year setting forth all proposed Capital Expenditures to be incurred
during such fiscal year.

     (r)     Modifications of Management Services Agreements, etc. Promptly upon
the execution thereof, executed copies of any modification or amendment of any
"Management Services Agreement" or "Accounts Receivable Purchase Agreement" (as
such terms are defined in the Senior Credit Agreement).

     (s)     Further Certification. The Company shall furnish to each Holder, at
the time it furnishes each set of financial statements pursuant to paragraph (a)
or (b) above, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto
executed by a Responsible Officer (i) certifying as to the matters set forth
therein and stating that no Default has occurred and is continuing (or, if any
Default has occurred and is continuing, describing the same in reasonable
detail), and (ii) setting forth in reasonable detail the computations necessary
to determine the Company's Total Funded Debt, Senior Funded Debt and EBITDA and
whether the Company is in compliance with Sections 9.11, 9.14, 9.15 and 9.16 as
of the end of the respective fiscal quarter or fiscal year.

     Section 8.02   Litigation. The Company shall promptly give to each Holder
notice of: (i) all legal or arbitral proceedings, and of all proceedings before
any Governmental Authority affecting the Company or any Subsidiary, except
proceedings which, if adversely determined, would not have a Material Adverse
Effect, and (ii) of any litigation or proceeding against or adversely affecting
the Company or any Subsidiary in which the amount involved is not covered in
full by insurance (subject to normal and customary deductibles and for which the
insurer has not assumed the defense), or in which injunctive or similar relief
is sought. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
promptly notify each Holder of any claim, judgment, Lien or other encumbrance
affecting any Property of the Company or any Subsidiary if the value

                                       29

<PAGE>

of the claim, judgment, Lien, or other encumbrance affecting such Property shall
exceed $250,000.

     Section 8.03   Maintenance, Etc.

     (a)     Generally. The Company shall and shall cause each Subsidiary to:
preserve and maintain its corporate existence and all of its material rights,
privileges and franchises; keep books of record and account in which full, true
and correct entries will be made of all dealings or transactions in relation to
its business and activities; comply with all Governmental Requirements if
failure to comply with such requirements, individually or in the aggregate, will
have a Material Adverse Effect; pay and discharge all taxes, assessments and
governmental charges or levies imposed on it or on its income or profits or on
any of its Property prior to the date on which penalties attach thereto, except
for any such tax, assessment, charge or levy the payment of which is being
contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and against which adequate
reserves are being maintained; upon reasonable notice, permit representatives of
each Holder, during normal business hours, to examine, copy and make extracts
from its books and records, to inspect its Properties, and to discuss its
business and affairs with its officers, all to the extent reasonably requested
by such Holder; and keep, or cause to be kept, insured by financially sound and
reputable insurers all Property of a character usually insured by Persons
engaged in the same or similar business similarly situated against loss or
damage of the kinds and in the amounts customarily insured against by such
Persons and carry such other insurance as is usually carried by such Persons
including, without limitation, environmental risk insurance to the extent
reasonably available.

     (b)     Proof of Insurance. Contemporaneously with the delivery of the
financial statements required by Section 8.01(a) to be delivered for each year,
the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to each Holder a certificate
of insurance coverage from the insurer in form and substance satisfactory to
Holders and, if requested, will furnish Holders copies of the applicable
policies.

     (c)     Operation of Properties. The Company will and will cause each
Subsidiary to operate its Properties or cause such Properties to be operated in
a careful and efficient manner in accordance with the practices of the industry
and in compliance with all applicable contracts and agreements and in compliance
in all material respects with all Governmental Requirements.

     Section 8.04   Environmental Matters.

     (a)     Establishment of Procedures. The Company will and will cause each
Subsidiary to establish and implement such procedures as may be reasonably
necessary to continuously determine and assure that (i) all Property of the
Company and its Subsidiaries and the operations conducted thereon and other
activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries are, in all material respects, in
compliance with and do not violate the requirements of any Environmental Laws,
and (ii) no oil, hazardous substances or solid wastes are disposed of or
otherwise released on or

                                       30

<PAGE>

to any Property owned by any such party except in compliance with Environmental
Laws.

     (b)     Notice of Action. The Company will promptly notify each Holder in
writing of any threatened action, investigation or inquiry by any Governmental
Authority of which the Company has knowledge in connection with any
Environmental Laws, excluding routine testing and corrective action.

     Section 8.05   Further Assurances. The Company will and will cause each
Subsidiary to cure promptly any defects in the creation and issuance of the
Notes and the execution and delivery of this Agreement. The Company at its
expense will and will cause each Subsidiary to promptly execute and deliver to
each Holder upon request all such other documents, agreements and instruments to
comply with or accomplish the covenants and agreements of the Company or any
Subsidiary, as the case may be, in any of the Subordinated Note and Warrant
Documents, or to correct any omissions in any of the Subordinated Note and
Warrant Documents, or to state more fully the security obligations set out
herein or in any of the other Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents, or to
make any recordings, to file any notices or obtain any consents, all as may be
necessary or appropriate in connection therewith.

     Section 8.06   Performance of Obligations. The Company will pay the Notes
according to the reading, tenor and effect thereof; and the Company will and
will cause each Subsidiary to do and perform every act and discharge all of the
obligations to be performed and discharged by them under this Agreement, at the
time or times and in the manner specified.

     Section 8.07   ERISA Information and Compliance. The Company will promptly
furnish and will cause the Subsidiaries and any ERISA Affiliate to promptly
furnish to each Holder (i) promptly after the filing thereof with the United
States Secretary of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service or the PBGC, copies of
each annual and other report with respect to each Plan or any trust created
thereunder, (ii) immediately upon becoming aware of the occurrence of any ERISA
Event or of any "prohibited transaction," as described in section 406 of ERISA
or in section 4975 of the Code, in connection with any Plan or any trust created
thereunder, a written notice signed by a Responsible Officer specifying the
nature thereof, what action the Company, the Subsidiary or the ERISA Affiliate
is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto, and, when known, any action
taken or proposed by the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor or
the PBGC with respect thereto, and (iii) immediately upon receipt thereof,
copies of any notice of the PBGC's intention to terminate or to have a trustee
appointed to administer any Plan. With respect to each Plan (other than a
Multiemployer Plan), the Company will, and will cause each Subsidiary and ERISA
Affiliate to, (i) satisfy in full and in a timely manner, without incurring any
late payment or underpayment charge or penalty and without giving rise to any
lien, all of the contribution and funding requirements of section 412 of the
Code (determined without regard to subsections (d), (e), (f) and (k) thereof)
and of section 302 of ERISA (determined without regard to sections 303, 304 and
306 of ERISA), and (ii) pay, or cause to be paid, to the PBGC in a timely
manner, without incurring any late payment or underpayment charge or penalty,
all premiums required pursuant to sections 4006 and 4007 of ERISA.

                                       31

<PAGE>

     Section 8.08   Authorized Share Amendment; Issuance. The Company will place
on the agenda for its next annual meeting of stockholders, which will take place
on or before the 75th day following the Closing Date (the "Annual Meeting"),
proposals (the "Proposals") to: (a) approve the Authorized Share Amendment,
which shall be sufficient for the Company to issue duly authorized shares of
Common Stock to each Person holding securities of the Company that are
convertible into or exercisable for shares of Common Stock upon such conversion
or exercise, including without limitation the Notes and Warrants, (b) amend its
certificate of incorporation to delete Article IX thereof, which prohibits the
taking of any action requiring a vote of the stockholders of the Company by
written consent in lieu of a meeting of the stockholders, and (c) delete Section
2.14 of the Company's Bylaws. At the Annual Meeting, the Company will recommend
to its stockholders that they vote in favor of, and to solicit proxies for the
purpose of voting in favor of, the Proposals. Upon approval of the Proposals,
the Company will authorize and reserve a sufficient number of shares of Common
Stock with respect to the conversion of the Notes and the exercise of the
Warrants.

     Section 8.09   Corresponding Amendment. Company agrees that, in the event
any change or amendment is made to the Senior Credit Documents in consideration
of a waiver of an actual or contemplated default or event of default thereunder,
a corresponding change or amendment shall automatically and simultaneously be
deemed to have been made to this Agreement without further action; provided
Company agrees to execute such documents as any Holder may reasonably request to
further memorialize such change or amendments.

                                   ARTICLE IX

                               NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     The Company covenants and agrees that, so long as any of the Notes are
outstanding, the Company shall perform and comply with, and shall cause each of
its Subsidiaries to perform and comply with, all covenants in this Article IX
applicable to such Person; provided, however, Section 9.18, the proviso to
Section 9.23 and Section 9.25 shall survive repayment of the Notes and the
Company shall perform and comply with such proviso so long as any of the Holders
hold a Warrant or Common Stock issued upon conversion of all or any part of any
Note or exercise of all or any part of any Warrant:

     Section 9.01   Debt. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary will incur,
create, assume or permit to exist any Debt, except:

          (a)       the Notes, the Indebtedness or any guaranty of or suretyship
     arrangement for the Notes or the Indebtedness;

          (b)       accounts payable (for the deferred purchase price of
     Property. or services)

                                       32

<PAGE>

     from time to time incurred in the ordinary course of business which, if
     greater than ninety (90) days past the invoice or billing date, are being
     contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and reserves adequate
     under GAAP shall have been established therefor;

          (c)       Debt under capital leases (as required to be reported on the
     financial statements of the Company pursuant to GAAP) and purchase money
     Debt incurred after the Closing Date, in a combined amount not to exceed
     $500,000 per year or $2,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any one
     time;

          (d)       Debt of the Company under Hedging Agreements with a Senior
     Lender or otherwise approved by Holders;

          (e)       Debt in existence on the date hereof and described on
     Schedule 9.01; and

          (f)    Senior Indebtedness.

     Section 9.02   Liens. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary will create,
incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any of its Properties (now owned or
hereafter acquired), except:

     (a)     Liens securing the payment of any Senior Indebtedness;

     (b)     Excepted Liens;

     (c)     Liens disclosed on Schedule 9.02.

     (d)     Liens securing capital leases and purchase money Debt allowed under
             Section 9.01(c), but only on the Property leased with such capital
             leases or financed with such purchase money Debt.

     (e)     Liens originally created to secure purchase money Debt permitted
             under Section 9.01(e), which in each case shall not exceed one
             hundred percent (100%) of the lesser of the total purchase price
             and the fair market value of the Property acquired as determined at
             the time of acquisition; provided, that, (i) the Property to be
             purchased with the proceeds of such Debt shall be purchased not
             more than sixty (60) days prior to the date of the creation of such
             Lien and (ii) such Lien encumbers only the Property so acquired.

     Section 9.03   Investments, Loans and Advances. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary will make or permit to remain outstanding any loans or advances to or
investments in any Person, except that the foregoing restriction shall not apply
to:

     (a)     investments, loans or advances reflected in the Financial
             Statements or which are disclosed in Schedule 9.03;

                                       33

<PAGE>

     (b)     accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business;

     (c)     direct obligations of the United States or any agency thereof, or
             obligations guaranteed by the United States or any agency thereof,
             in each case maturing within one year from the date of creation
             thereof;

     (d)     commercial paper maturing within one (1) year from the date of
             creation thereof rated in the highest grade by Standard & Poor's
             Corporation or Moody's Investors Service, Inc.;

     (e)     deposits maturing within one (1) year from the date of creation
             thereof with, including certificates of deposit issued by, any
             Senior Lender or any office located in the United States of any
             other bank or trust company which is organized under the laws of
             the United States or any state thereof, has capital, surplus and
             undivided profits aggregating at least $100,000,000.00 (as of the
             date of such Senior Lender's or bank or trust company's most recent
             financial reports) and has a short term deposit rating of no lower
             than A2 or P2, as such rating is set forth from time to time, by
             Standard & Poor's Corporation or Moody's Investors Service, Inc.,
             respectively; or

     (f)     deposits in money market funds investing exclusively in investments
             described in Section 9.03(c), 9.03(d) or 9.03(e).

     Section 9.04   Dividends, Distributions and Redemptions. The Company will
not declare or pay any dividend, purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire for value
any of its stock, or options or warrants to acquire such stock, now or hereafter
outstanding, return any capital to its stockholders or make any distribution of
its assets to its stockholders, other than pursuant to cashless exercise
provisions of such securities; provided, however, as long as no Defaults or
Events of Default have occurred and are continuing and in the event no Default
or Event of Default would arise therefrom, the Company may redeem for cash any
equity securities required to be repurchased by the Company upon the termination
of employment of Usdan in accordance with the terms of that certain Employment
Agreement dated as of even date herewith by and between the Company and Usdan.

     Section 9.05   Sales and Leasebacks. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary
will enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person whereby
the Company or any Subsidiary shall sell or transfer any of its Property,
whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and whereby the Company or any
Subsidiary shall then or thereafter rent or lease as lessee such Property or any
part thereof or other Property which the Company or any Subsidiary intends to
use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the Property sold or
transferred; provided, however, so long as the Senior Credit Agreement is in
effect, this provision shall not prohibit any such transaction to the extent
approved by the Majority Lenders and provided no Default or

                                       34

<PAGE>

Event of Default exists.

     Section 9.06   Nature of Business. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary
will allow any material change to be made in the character of its business.

     Section 9.07   Mergers, Etc. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary will
merge into or with or consolidate with any other Person, or sell, lease or
otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions)
all or substantially all of its Property or assets to any other Person, another
Subsidiary, except that any Subsidiary may merge into the Company or into any
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.

     Section 9.08   Proceeds of Notes. The Company will not permit the proceeds
of the Notes to be used for any purpose other than those permitted by Section
7.07. Neither the Company nor any Person acting on behalf of the Company has
taken or will take any action which might cause any of the Subordinated Note and
Warrant Documents or the Restructuring Documents to violate Regulation T, U or X
or any other regulation of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
or to violate Section 7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or
regulation thereunder, in each case as now in effect or as the same may
hereinafter be in effect.

     Section 9.09   ERISA Compliance. The Company will not at any time:

     (a)     Engage in, or permit any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate to engage
in, any transaction in connection with which the Company, any Subsidiary or any
ERISA Affiliate could be subjected to either a civil penalty assessed pursuant
to section 502(c), (i) or (l) of ERISA or a tax imposed by Chapter 43 of
Subtitle D of the Code;

     (b)     Terminate, or permit any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate to
terminate, any Plan in a manner, or take any other action with respect to any
Plan, which could result in any material liability to the Company, any
Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate to the PBGC;

     (c)     Fail to make, or permit any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate to fail
to make, full payment when due of all amounts which, under the provisions of any
Plan, agreement relating thereto or applicable law, the Company, a Subsidiary or
any ERISA Affiliate is required to pay as contributions thereto;

     (d)     Permit to exist, or allow any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate to
permit to exist, any accumulated funding deficiency within the meaning of
Section 302 of ERISA or section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, with
respect to any Plan;

     (e)     Permit, or allow any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate to permit, the
actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under any Plan maintained by
the Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate which is regulated under
Title IV of ERISA to exceed the current value of the

                                       35

<PAGE>

assets (computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of
ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities. The term "actuarial
present value of the benefit liabilities" shall have the meaning specified in
section 4041 of ERISA;

     (f)     Contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit
any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate to contribute to or assume an obligation to
contribute to, any Multiemployer Plan;

     (g)     Acquire, or permit any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate to acquire, an
interest in any Person that causes such Person to become an ERISA Affiliate with
respect to the Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate if such Person
sponsors, maintains or contributes to, or at any time in the six-year period
preceding such acquisition has sponsored, maintained, or contributed to, (1) any
Multiemployer Plan, or (2) any other Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA
under which the actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under such
Plan exceeds the current value of the assets (computed on a plan termination
basis in accordance with Title IV of ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such
benefit liabilities;

     (h)     Incur, or permit any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate to incur, a
liability to or on account of a Plan under sections 515, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4201
or 4204 of ERISA;

     (i)     Contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit
any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate to contribute to or assume an obligation to
contribute to, any employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in section 3(1) of
ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained to provide
benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be terminated by
such entities in their sole discretion at any time without any material
liability; or

     (j)     Amend or permit any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate to amend, a Plan
resulting in an increase in current liability such that the Company, any
Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate is required to provide security to such Plan
under section 401(a)(29) of the Code.

     Section 9.10   Sale or Discount of Receivables. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary will discount or sell (with or without recourse) any of its notes
receivable or accounts receivable; provided, however, so long as the Senior
Credit Agreement is in effect, this provision shall not prohibit any such
transaction to the extent approved by the Majority Lenders and provided no
Default or Event of Default exists.

     Section 9.11   Minimum EBITDA. The Company will not permit its EBITDA as of
the end of any fiscal quarter, calculated on a rolling four (4) quarter basis
(except for the quarter ending September 30, 2002, which shall be calculated on
the basis of the three (3) prior fiscal quarters ending on such date), to be
less than the amount for the relevant periods set forth below.

                 Fiscal Quarter Ending    Minimum EBITDA
                 ---------------------    --------------

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<PAGE>

                 September 30, 2002       $ 3,870,000
                 December 31, 2002        $ 5,310,000

                 March 31, 2003           $ 5,940,000
                 June 30, 2003            $ 6,210,000
                 September 30, 2003       $ 6,480,000
                 December 31, 2003        $ 6,750,000

                 March 31, 2004           $ 7,110,000
                 June 30, 2004            $ 7,380,000
                 September 30, 2004       $ 7,470,000
                 December 31, 2004        $ 7,650,000

                 March 31, 2005           $ 7,920,000
                 June 30, 2005 and        $ 8,100,000
                 each fiscal quarter
                 ending thereafter

     Section 9.12   Reserved.

     Section 9.13   Reserved.

     Section 9.14   Debt Service Coverage Ratio. The Company will not permit its
Debt Service Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter, calculated on a
rolling four (4) quarter basis (except for the quarter ending
September 30, 2002, which shall be calculated on the basis of the three (3)
prior fiscal quarters ending on such date), to be less than the ratio for the
relevant periods set forth below.

                 Fiscal Quarter Ending    Ratio
                 ---------------------    -----

                 September 30, 2002       0.90
                 December 31, 2002        0.95

                 March 31, 2003           0.95
                 June 30, 2003            0.90
                 September 30, 2003       0.90
                 December 31, 2003        0.81

                 March 31, 2004           0.81
                 June 30, 2004            0.81
                 September 30, 2004       0.72

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<PAGE>

                 December 31, 2004        0.72

                 March 31, 2005           0.68
                 June 30, 2005            0.81
                 September 30, 2005       0.90
                 and each fiscal quarter
                 ending thereafter

For purposes of this Section 9.14, "Debt Service Coverage Ratio" shall mean the
ratio for the relevant period of (i) EBITDA less taxes payable in cash less any
unfinanced Capital Expenditures to (ii) cash interest plus principal payments
scheduled during the period.

     Section 9.15   Reserved.

     Section 9.16   Capital Expenditures. The Company will not make any Capital
Expenditures if, after giving effect thereto, the aggregate of all such
expenditures would, in the case of the twelve (12) month periods ending on the
last day of any fiscal quarter, exceed $2,500,000.

     Section 9.17   Environmental Matters. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary will cause or permit any of its Property to be in violation of, or do
anything or permit anything to be done which will subject any such Property to
any remedial obligations under any Environmental Laws, assuming disclosure to
the applicable Governmental Authority of all relevant facts, conditions and
circumstances, if any, pertaining to such Property where such violations or
remedial obligations would have a Material Adverse Effect.

     Section 9.18   Transactions with Affiliates. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary will enter into any transaction, including, without limitation, any
purchase, sale, lease or exchange of Property or the rendering of any service,
with any Affiliate unless such transactions are otherwise permitted under this
Agreement, are in the ordinary course of its business and are upon fair and
reasonable terms no less favorable to it than it would obtain in a comparable
arm's length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate.

     Section 9.19   Subsidiaries. The Company shall not and shall not permit any
Subsidiary to sell or to issue any stock of a Subsidiary or any interest in a
Special Entity. The Company shall not permit any Subsidiary to issue any stock
except to the Company or any other Subsidiary.

     Section 9.20   Negative Pledge Agreements. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary will create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any contract, agreement
or understanding (other than the Senior Credit Documents and the Subordinated
Note and Warrant Documents) which in any way prohibits or restricts the
granting, conveying, creation or imposition of any Lien on any of its Property
or restricts any Subsidiary from paying dividends to the Company, or which
requires

                                       38

<PAGE>

the consent of or notice to other Persons in connection therewith.

     Section 9.21   Other Agreements. The Company will not and will not permit
any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly to change or amend the terms of
any of the Senior Credit Documents if the effect of such amendment is in
violation of the terms of the Subordination Agreement.

     Section 9.22   Amendment of Castle West LLC Agreement. Neither the Company
nor any Subsidiary shall make or permit any material amendment or modification
of the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Castle Dental Centers of
California, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company, without the prior
written consent of Holders.

     Section 9.23   Restriction on Fundamental Changes. The Company will not and
will not permit any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly to amend, modify
or waive any term or provision of its organizational documents, including
without limitation its articles of incorporation, certificates of designations
pertaining to preferred stock, by-laws, partnership agreement or members'
agreement; provided, however, after repayment in full of the Notes, the Company
shall not amend, modify or waive any term or provision of its organizational
documents pertaining to Common Stock, or the rights of any holder thereof, as in
effect on the Closing Date, in a manner which is adverse to any Holder that
holds a Warrant or Common Stock issued upon conversion of any Note or exercise
of any Warrant.

     Section 9.24   Disposal of Assets or Subsidiary Stock. The Company will not
and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly to convey,
sell, lease, sublease, transfer or otherwise dispose of, or grant any Person an
option to acquire, in one (1) transaction or a series of transactions, any of
its property, business or assets, or the capital stock of or other equity
interests in any of its Subsidiaries, whether now owned or hereafter acquired,
except for (a) bona fide sales of inventory to customers for fair value in the
ordinary course of business and dispositions of obsolete equipment not used or
useful in the business and (b) asset dispositions if all of the following
conditions are met: (i) the market value of assets sold or otherwise disposed of
in any fiscal year of the Company does not exceed $1,000,000; (ii) the
consideration received is at least equal to the fair market value of such
assets; and (iii) no Default or Event of Default then exists or shall result
from such asset disposition.

     Section 9.25   Non-Disclosure. The Company will not and will not permit
any of its Affiliates to, in the future, issue any press release or other public
disclosure using the name of Heller, Midwest or any of their respective
Affiliates or referring to this Agreement or referring to the other Subordinated
Note and Warrant Documents without at least two (2) Business Days prior written
notice to Heller or Midwest, as applicable, and without the prior written
consent of Heller or Midwest, as applicable, unless (and only to the extent
that) the Company or such affiliate of the Company is required to so disclose
under law and then, in any event, the Company or such Affiliate will consult
with Heller or Midwest, as applicable, before issuing such press release or
other public disclosure. The Company consents to the publication by Heller

                                       39

<PAGE>

and/or Midwest of a tombstone or similar advertising material relating to the
financing transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the other Subordinated
Note and Warrant Documents and/or the Restructuring Documents.

                                    ARTICLE X

                           EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

     Section 10.01  Events of Default. One (1) or more of the following events
shall constitute an "Event of Default":

     (a)     the Company shall default in the payment or prepayment when due of
any principal of any Note, or any fees or other amount payable by it hereunder;
provided, however, if such default is a default in the payment of fees, such
default shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days; or

     (b)     the Company or any Subsidiary shall default in the payment when due
of any principal of or interest on any of its other Debt (other than Senior
Debt) aggregating $250,000 or more, or any event specified in any note,
agreement, indenture or other document evidencing or relating to any such Debt
shall occur if the effect of such event is to cause, or (with the giving of any
notice or the lapse of time or both) to permit the holder or holders of such
Debt (or a trustee or an agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause,
such Debt to become due prior to its stated maturity; or

     (c)     any representation, warranty or certification made or deemed made
herein or in any of the other Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents or any of
the Restructuring Documents by the Company or any Subsidiary, or any certificate
furnished to any Holder pursuant to the provisions hereof or the other
Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents or of the Restructuring Documents, shall
prove to have been materially false or misleading as of the time made or
furnished in any material respect; or

     (d)     (i) the Company shall default in the performance of any of its
obligations under Article IX, any other Article of this Agreement other than
under Article VIII or Section 8.08 (other than the payment of amounts due, which
shall be governed by Section 10.01(a)); or (ii) the Company shall default in the
performance of any of its obligations under Article VIII (other than Section
8.08 ) and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30)
days after the earlier to occur of (x) notice thereof to the Company by any
Holder or (y) the Company otherwise becoming aware of such default; or

     (e)     the Company shall admit in writing its inability to, or be
generally unable to, pay its debts as such debts become due; or

                                       40

<PAGE>

     (f)     the Company shall (i) apply for or consent to the appointment of,
or the taking of possession by, a receiver, custodian, trustee or liquidator of
itself or of all or a substantial part of its property, (ii) make a general
assignment for the benefit of its creditors, (iii) commence a voluntary case
under the Federal Bankruptcy Code (as now or hereafter in effect), (iv) file a
petition seeking to take advantage of any other law relating to bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, winding-up, liquidation or composition or
readjustment of debts, (v) fail to controvert in a timely and appropriate
manner, or acquiesce in writing to, any petition filed against it in an
involuntary case under the Federal Bankruptcy Code, or (vi) take any corporate
action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing; or

     (g)     a proceeding or case shall be commenced, without the application or
consent of the Company, in any court of competent jurisdiction, seeking (i) its
liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or winding-up, or the composition or
readjustment of its debts, (ii) the appointment of a trustee, receiver,
custodian, liquidator or the like of the Company of all or any substantial part
of its assets, or (iii) similar relief in respect of the Company under any law
relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, winding-up, or composition
or adjustment of debts, and such proceeding or case shall continue undismissed,
or an order, judgment or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall
be entered and continue unstayed and in effect, for a period of sixty (60) days;
or (iv) an order for relief against the Company shall be entered in an
involuntary case under the Federal Bankruptcy Code; or

     (h)     a judgment or judgments for the payment of money in excess of
$250,000 in the aggregate shall be rendered by a court against the Company or
any Subsidiary and the same shall not be discharged (or provision shall not be
made for such discharge), or a stay of execution thereof shall not be (i) fully
covered by insurance owned or held by the Company or such Subsidiary, as
applicable, under a policy or policies which are in full force and effect, or
(ii) procured, within thirty (30) days from the date of entry thereof and the
Company or such Subsidiary shall not, within said period of thirty (30) days, or
such longer period during which execution of the same shall have been stayed,
appeal therefrom and cause the execution thereof to be stayed during such
appeal; or

     (i)     the Company discontinues its usual business; or

     (j)     any Subsidiary takes, suffers or permits to exist any of the events
or conditions referred to in paragraphs (e), (f), (g) or (h) hereof; or

     (k)     a Change of Control occurs; or

     (l)     the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall default in their
performance of any obligations in any documents executed or delivered in
connection with the Restructuring Transactions and any applicable cure period
provided for in such document has passed; or

     (m)     the Company shall default in the payment or performance of any
obligations in

                                       41

<PAGE>

the Senior Credit Documents after any applicable cure period provided for in
such document and as a result any Senior Lender causes the Senior Indebtedness
to be accelerated or the Company shall default in the repayment of such Senior
Indebtedness at final maturity.

     Section 10.02  Remedies.

     (a)     In the case of an Event of Default other than one referred to in
clauses (e), (f) or (g) of Section 10.01 or in clauses (j) to the extent it
relates to clauses (e), (f) or (g), each Holder may, by notice to the Company,
declare the principal amount then outstanding of, and the accrued interest on,
the Notes held by it and all other amounts payable to it by the Company
hereunder and under the Notes to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon such
amounts shall be immediately due and payable without presentment, demand,
protest, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration or other
formalities of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the
Company.

     (b)     In the case of the occurrence of an Event of Default referred to in
clauses (e), (f) or (g) of Section 10.01 or in clauses (k) and (l) to the extent
they relate to clauses (e), (f) or (g), the principal amount then outstanding
of, and the accrued interest on, the Notes and all other amounts payable by the
Company hereunder and under the Notes shall become automatically immediately due
and payable without presentment, demand, protest, notice of intent to
accelerate, notice of acceleration or other formalities of any kind, all of
which are hereby expressly waived by the Company.

     (c)     All proceeds received after maturity of the Notes, whether by
acceleration or otherwise shall be applied first to reimbursement of expenses
and indemnities provided for in this Agreement; second to accrued interest on
the Notes; third to fees; fourth pro rata to principal outstanding on the Notes
and other Indebtedness; and any excess shall be paid to the Company or as
otherwise required by any Governmental Requirement.

     (d)     Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any one (1) or
more Events of Default, any Holder may proceed to protect and enforce its rights
hereunder by suit in equity, action at law or by other appropriate proceeding,
whether for the specific performance of any covenant or agreement contained in
this Agreements, the Notes, the other Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents or
the Restructuring Documents or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in
this Agreement or the Notes, or may proceed to enforce the payment of the Notes,
or to enforce any other of its legal or equitable rights.

                                   ARTICLE XI

                      HOLDER REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     Section 11.01  Accredited Investor. Each Holder represents, as to itself,
that it is an

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<PAGE>

"accredited investor" within the meaning of Regulation D promulgated under the
Securities Act.

                                   ARTICLE XII

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

     Section 12.01  Waiver. No failure on the part of a Holder to exercise and
no delay in exercising, and no course of dealing with respect to, any right,
power or privilege under any of the Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents
shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of
any right, power or privilege under any of the Subordinated Note and Warrant
Documents preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any
other right, power or privilege. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and
not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

     Section 12.02  Notices. All notices and other communications provided for
herein and in the other Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents (including,
without limitation, any modifications of, or waivers or consents under, this
Agreement or the other Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents) shall be given
or made by telex, telecopy, courier or U.S. Mail or in writing and telexed,
telecopied, mailed or delivered to the intended recipient at the "Address for
Notices" specified below its name on the signature pages hereof or in the
Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents; or, as to any party, at such other
address as shall be designated by such party in a notice to each other party.
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or in the other Subordinated Note
and Warrant Documents, all such communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given when transmitted, if transmitted before 1:00 p.m. local time on a Business
Day (otherwise on the next succeeding Business Day) by telex or telecopier and
evidence or confirmation of receipt is obtained, or personally delivered or, in
the case of a mailed notice, three (3) Business Days after the date deposited in
the mails, postage prepaid, in each case given or addressed as aforesaid.

     Section 12.03  Payment of Expenses, Indemnities, etc.

     (a)     The Company agrees:

             (i)    whether or not the transactions hereby contemplated are
     consummated, to pay all reasonable expenses of Holders in the
     administration (both before and after the execution hereof and including
     advice of counsel as to the rights and duties of a Holder with respect
     thereto) of, and in connection with the negotiation, syndication,
     investigation, preparation, execution and delivery of, recording or filing
     of, preservation of rights under, enforcement of, and refinancing,
     renegotiation or restructuring of, the Subordinated Note and Warrant
     Documents and any amendment, waiver or consent relating thereto (including,
     without limitation, travel, photocopy, mailing, courier, telephone and
     other similar expenses of Holders, the cost of environmental audits,

                                       43

<PAGE>

     surveys and appraisals at reasonable intervals, the reasonable fees and
     disbursements of counsel and other outside consultants for Holders and, in
     the case of enforcement (including, without limitation, bankruptcy and
     workout matters), the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for
     Holders; and promptly reimburse a Holder for all amounts expended, advanced
     or incurred by such Holder to satisfy any obligation of the Company under
     this Agreement;

             (ii)   TO INDEMNIFY EACH HOLDER AND EACH OF ITS AFFILIATES AND
     EACH OF ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES, AGENTS,
     ATTORNEYS, ACCOUNTANTS AND EXPERTS ("INDEMNIFIED PARTIES") FROM, HOLD EACH
     OF THEM HARMLESS AGAINST AND PROMPTLY UPON DEMAND PAY OR REIMBURSE EACH OF
     THEM FOR, THE INDEMNITY MATTERS WHICH MAY BE INCURRED BY OR ASSERTED
     AGAINST OR INVOLVE ANY OF THEM (WHETHER OR NOT ANY OF THEM IS DESIGNATED A
     PARTY THERETO) AS A RESULT OF, ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATED TO (I)
     ANY ACTUAL OR PROPOSED USE BY THE COMPANY OF THE PROCEEDS OF ANY OF THE
     NOTES, (II) THE EXECUTION, DELIVERY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SUBORDINATED
     NOTE AND WARRANT DOCUMENTS, (III) THE OPERATIONS OF THE BUSINESS OF THE
     COMPANY AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (IV) THE FAILURE OF THE COMPANY OR ANY
     SUBSIDIARY TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, OR WITH ANY
     GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENT, (V) ANY INACCURACY OF ANY REPRESENTATION OR ANY
     BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY OF THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY SET FORTH IN ANY OF
     THE SUBORDINATED NOTE AND WARRANT DOCUMENTS OR (VI) ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THE
     SUBORDINATED NOTE AND WARRANT DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE
     REASONABLE FEES AND DISBURSEMENTS OF COUNSEL AND ALL OTHER EXPENSES
     INCURRED IN CONNECTION WITH INVESTIGATING, DEFENDING OR PREPARING TO DEFEND
     ANY SUCH ACTION, SUIT, PROCEEDING (INCLUDING ANY INVESTIGATIONS, LITIGATION
     OR INQUIRIES) OR CLAIM AND INCLUDING ALL INDEMNITY MATTERS ARISING BY
     REASON OF THE ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE OF ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY, BUT EXCLUDING
     ALL INDEMNITY MATTERS ARISING SOLELY BY REASON OF THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR
     WILLFUL MISCONDUCT ON THE PART OF THE INDEMNIFIED PARTY; AND

             (III)  TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS FROM TIME TO TIME THE
     INDEMNIFIED PARTIES FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL LOSSES, CLAIMS, COST
     RECOVERY ACTIONS, ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS OR PROCEEDINGS, DAMAGES AND
     LIABILITIES TO WHICH ANY SUCH PERSON MAY BECOME SUBJECT (I) UNDER ANY
     ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OR ANY OF
     THEIR PROPERTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE TREATMENT OR DISPOSAL
     OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ON ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES, (II) AS A RESULT OF THE
     BREACH OR NON-COMPLIANCE BY THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY WITH ANY
     ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY, (III) DUE TO
     PAST OWNERSHIP BY THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OF ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES
     OR PAST ACTIVITY ON ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES WHICH, THOUGH

                                       44

<PAGE>

     LAWFUL AND FULLY PERMISSIBLE AT THE TIME, COULD RESULT IN PRESENT
     LIABILITY, (IV) THE PRESENCE, USE, RELEASE, STORAGE, TREATMENT OR DISPOSAL
     OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ON OR AT ANY OF THE PROPERTIES OWNED OR OPERATED BY
     THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY, OR (V) ANY OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH OR
     SAFETY CONDITION IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBORDINATED NOTE AND WARRANT
     DOCUMENTS.

     (b)     No Indemnified Party may settle any claim to be indemnified without
the consent of the indemnitor, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld.

     (c)     In the case of any indemnification hereunder, the Indemnified Party
shall give notice to the Company of any such claim or demand being made against
the Indemnified Party and the Company shall have the non-exclusive right to join
in the defense against any such claim or demand provided that if the Company
provides a defense, the Indemnified Party shall bear its own cost of defense
unless there is a conflict between the Company and such Indemnified Party.

     (d)     THE FOREGOING INDEMNITIES SHALL EXTEND TO THE INDEMNIFIED PARTIES
NOTWITHSTANDING THE SOLE OR CONCURRENT NEGLIGENCE OF EVERY KIND OR CHARACTER
WHATSOEVER, WHETHER ACTIVE OR PASSIVE, WHETHER AN AFFIRMATIVE ACT OR AN
OMISSION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL TYPES OF NEGLIGENT CONDUCT
IDENTIFIED IN THE RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS OF ONE OR MORE OF THE
INDEMNIFIED PARTIES OR BY REASON OF STRICT LIABILITY IMPOSED WITHOUT FAULT ON
ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNIFIED PARTIES. TO THE EXTENT THAT AN INDEMNIFIED
PARTY IS FOUND TO HAVE COMMITTED AN ACT OF GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL
MISCONDUCT, THIS CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION OF INDEMNIFICATION SHALL CONTINUE BUT
SHALL ONLY EXTEND TO THE PORTION OF THE CLAIM THAT IS DEEMED TO HAVE OCCURRED BY
REASON OF EVENTS OTHER THAN THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF THE
INDEMNIFIED PARTY.

     (e)     The Company's obligations under this Section 12.03 shall survive
any termination of this Agreement, conversion and payment of the Notes and shall
continue thereafter in full force and effect.

     (f)     The Company shall pay any amounts due under this Section 12.03
within thirty (30) days of the receipt by the Company of notice of the amount
due.

     Section 12.04  Amendments, Etc. Any provision of this Agreement may be
amended, modified or waived with the prior written consent of the Company and
the holders of fifty one percent (51%) of the then-outstanding principal balance
of the Notes; provided, however, that no amendment, modification or waiver can
be effected if, by its terms, such amendment, modification or waiver adversely
affects one (1) Holder without having the same adverse effect on all other
Holders without the prior written consent of the adversely affected Holder.

     Section 12.05  Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon
and inure

                                       45

<PAGE>

to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and
permitted assigns.

     Section 12.06  Assignments.

     (a)     The Company may not assign its rights or obligations hereunder or
under the Notes or the Warrants without the prior consent of Holders.

     (b)     Subject to applicable securities laws and to the terms and
conditions of the Stockholders Agreement, Holders (and its permitted assigns)
may assign to one (1) or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and
obligations under this Agreement and the other Subordinated Note and Warrant
Documents to any Person, and any such assignee may further assign such rights
and obligations to any Person. Any such assignment will become effective upon
the execution and delivery to the assigning Holder of the assignment. Upon the
assigning Holder's request, the Company, will, at its own expense, execute and
deliver new Notes and Warrants, as applicable, to the assignor and/or assignee,
as appropriate, in accordance with their respective interests as they appear.
Upon the effectiveness of any assignment pursuant to this Section 12.06(b), all
references to "Holders" or a "Holder" in this Agreement, the Notes, the Warrants
and the other Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents shall mean and include
each such assignee, each such assignee shall be deemed a party to this Agreement
and bound by all the agreements and covenants of Holders (other than the
covenant to purchase a Note or a Warrant) contained herein and all actions which
are to be taken, and all consents or waivers to be granted or consents,
amendments, waivers and other writings required to be signed by Holders or a
party (other than the Company) to this Agreement thereafter shall be, in each
case, effective only if taken or executed or delivered by Holders and all such
assignees.

     (c)     A Holder may furnish any information concerning the Company in its
possession from time to time to assignees (including prospective assignees);
provided that, such Persons agree to be bound by the provisions of
Section 12.15.

     (d)     Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 12.06, no
transfer or assignment of the interests or obligations of a Holder or any grant
of participations therein shall be permitted if such transfer, assignment or
grant would require the Company to file a registration statement with the SEC or
to qualify the Notes under the "Blue Sky" laws of any state.

     Section 12.07  Invalidity. In the event that any one (1) or more of the
provisions contained in any of the Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents
shall, for any reason, be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect,
such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other
provision of the Notes or this Agreement.

     Section 12.08  Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one (1) and the
same instrument and any of the parties hereto may execute this Agreement by
signing any such counterpart.

                                       46

<PAGE>

     Section 12.09  References. The words "herein," "hereof," "hereunder" and
other words of similar import when used in this Agreement refer to this
Agreement as a whole, and not to any particular article, section or subsection.
Any reference herein to a Section shall be deemed to refer to the applicable
Section of this Agreement unless otherwise stated herein. Any reference herein
to an exhibit or schedule shall be deemed to refer to the applicable exhibit or
schedule attached hereto unless otherwise stated herein.

     Section 12.10  Survival. The obligations of the parties, other than under,
but subject to the introductory statement to, Article VIII and Article IX, shall
survive the repayment and conversion of the Notes. To the extent that any
payments on the Indebtedness are subsequently invalidated, declared to be
fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be repaid to a trustee,
debtor in possession, receiver or other Person under any bankruptcy law, common
law or equitable cause, then to such extent, the Indebtedness so satisfied shall
be revived and continue as if such payment or proceeds had not been received and
Holders' rights, powers and remedies under this Agreement shall continue in full
force and effect.

     Section 12.11  Captions. Captions and section headings appearing herein are
included solely for convenience of reference and are not intended to
affect the interpretation of any provision of this Agreement.

     Section 12.12  NO ORAL AGREEMENTS. THE SUBORDINATED NOTE AND WARRANT
DOCUMENTS EMBODY THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND
SUPERSEDE ALL OTHER AGREEMENTS AND UNDERSTANDINGS BETWEEN SUCH PARTIES RELATING
TO THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF AND THEREOF. THE SUBORDINATED NOTE AND WARRANT
DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE
CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS
OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.

     Section 12.13  GOVERNING LAW; SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION.

     (a)     THIS AGREEMENT AND THE NOTES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

     (b)     SUBJECT TO SECTION 12.17, ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH
RESPECT TO THE SUBORDINATED NOTE AND WARRANT DOCUMENTS SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE
COURTS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS OR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS, AND, BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT,
EACH OF THE AOMPANY AND EACH HOLDER HEREBY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND (TO THE EXTENT
PERMITTED BY LAW) IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, THE
JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND EACH HOLDER HEREBY
IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT

                                       47

<PAGE>

LIMITATION, ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF
FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY
SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS.

     (c)     NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY HOLDER TO SERVE
PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.

     (d)     THE COMPANY AND EACH HOLDER HEREBY (I) IRREVOCABLY AND
UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, TRIAL BY JURY IN
ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND FOR ANY
COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN; (II) IRREVOCABLY WAIVE, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT NOT
PROHIBITED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO CLAIM OR RECOVER IN ANY SUCH
LITIGATION ANY SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES
OTHER THAN, OR IN ADDITION TO, ACTUAL DAMAGES; (III) CERTIFY THAT NO PARTY
HERETO NOR ANY REPRESENTATIVE OR AGENT OF COUNSEL FOR ANY PARTY HERETO HAS
REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, OR IMPLIED THAT SUCH PARTY WOULD NOT, IN
THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVERS, AND (IV)
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE
TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND
CERTIFICATIONS CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION 12.13.

     Section 12.14  Interest. It is the intention of the parties hereto that
Holders shall conform strictly to usury laws applicable to it. Accordingly, if
the transactions contemplated hereby would be usurious as to Holders under laws
applicable to it (including the laws of the United States of America and the
State of Illinois or any other jurisdiction whose laws may be mandatorily
applicable to Holders notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement),
then, in that event, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any of the
Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents or any agreement entered into in
connection with or as security for the Notes, it is agreed as follows: (i) the
aggregate of all consideration which constitutes interest under law applicable
to Holders that is contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received by
Holders under any of the Subordinated Note and Warrant Documents or agreements
or otherwise in connection with the Notes shall under no circumstances exceed
the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law, and any excess shall be
canceled automatically and if theretofore paid shall be credited by Holders on
the principal amount of the Indebtedness (or, to the extent that the principal
amount of the Indebtedness shall have been or would thereby be paid in full,
refunded by Holders to the Company); and (ii) in the event that the maturity of
the Notes is accelerated by reason of an election of the holder thereof
resulting from any Event of Default under this Agreement or otherwise, or in the
event of any required or permitted prepayment, then such consideration that
constitutes interest under law applicable to Holders may never include more than
the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law, and excess interest, if any,
provided for in this Agreement or otherwise shall be canceled automatically by
Holders as of the date of such acceleration or prepayment and, if theretofore
paid, shall be credited by Holders on the principal amount of the Indebtedness
(or, to the extent that the principal amount of the

                                       48

<PAGE>

Indebtedness shall have been or would thereby be paid in full, refunded by
Holders to the Company). All sums paid or agreed to be paid to Holders for the
use, forbearance or detention of sums due hereunder shall, to the extent
permitted by law applicable to Holders, be amortized, prorated, allocated and
spread throughout the full term of the Notes until payment in full so that the
rate or amount of interest on account of any Notes hereunder does not exceed the
maximum amount allowed by such applicable law. If at any time and from time to
time (i) the amount of interest payable to Holders on any date shall be computed
at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to Holders pursuant to this Section 12.14
and (ii) in respect of any subsequent interest computation period the amount of
interest otherwise payable to Holders would be less than the amount of interest
payable to Holders computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to Holders,
then the amount of interest payable to Holders in respect of such subsequent
interest computation period shall continue to be computed at the Highest Lawful
Rate applicable to Holders until the total amount of interest payable to Holders
shall equal the total amount of interest which would have been payable to
Holders if the total amount of interest had been computed without giving effect
to this Section 12.14.

     Section 12.15  Confidentiality. In the event that the Company provides to a
Holder written confidential information belonging to the Company, if the Company
shall denominate such information in writing as "confidential", such Holder
shall thereafter maintain such information in confidence in accordance with the
standards of care and diligence that each utilizes in maintaining its own
confidential information. This obligation of confidence shall not apply to such
portions of the information which (i) are in the public domain, (ii) hereafter
become part of the public domain without a Holder breaching its obligation of
confidence to the Company, (iii) are previously known by a Holder from some
source other than the Company, (iv) are hereafter developed by a Holder without
using the Company's information, (v) are hereafter obtained by or available to a
Holder from a third party who owes no obligation of confidence to the Company
with respect to such information or through any other means other than through
disclosure by the Company, (vi) are disclosed with the Company's consent,
(vii) must be disclosed either pursuant to any Governmental Requirement or to
Persons regulating the activities of a Holder, or (viii) as may be required by
law or regulation or order of any Governmental Authority in any judicial,
arbitration or governmental proceeding. Further, a Holder may disclose any such
information to any independent consultants, any independent certified public
accountants, any legal counsel employed by such Person in connection with this
Agreement, including without limitation, the enforcement or exercise of all
rights and remedies thereunder, or any assignee (including prospective
assignees) in the Notes; provided, however, that such Holder shall receive a
confidentiality agreement from the Person to whom such information is disclosed
such that said Person shall have the same obligation to maintain the
confidentiality of such information as is imposed upon such Holder hereunder.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary provided herein, this obligation of
confidence shall cease three (3) years from the date the information was
furnished, unless the Company requests in writing at least thirty (30) days
prior to the expiration of such three year period, to maintain the
confidentiality of such information for an additional three year period. The
Company waives any and all other rights it may have to confidentiality as
against a Holder arising by contract, agreement, statute or

                                       49

<PAGE>

law except as expressly stated in this Section 12.15.

     Section 12.16  Effectiveness. This Agreement shall be effective on the
Closing Date.

     Section 12.17  EXCULPATION PROVISIONS. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO
SPECIFICALLY AGREES THAT IT HAS A DUTY TO READ THIS AGREEMENT AND AGREES THAT IT
IS CHARGED WITH NOTICE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT; THAT IT HAS
IN FACT READ THIS AGREEMENT AND IS FULLY INFORMED AND HAS FULL NOTICE AND
KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERMS, CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS OF THIS AGREEMENT; THAT IT HAS
BEEN REPRESENTED BY INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL OF ITS CHOICE THROUGHOUT THE
NEGOTIATIONS PRECEDING ITS EXECUTION OF THIS AGREEMENT; AND HAS RECEIVED THE
ADVICE OF ITS ATTORNEY IN ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT; AND THAT IT RECOGNIZES
THAT CERTAIN OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT RESULT IN ONE PARTY ASSUMING THE
LIABILITY INHERENT IN SOME ASPECTS OF THE TRANSACTION AND RELIEVING THE OTHER
PARTY OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH LIABILITY. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES AND
COVENANTS THAT IT WILL NOT CONTEST THE VALIDITY OR ENFORCEABILITY OF ANY
EXCULPATORY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT ON THE BASIS THAT THE PARTY HAD NO
NOTICE OR KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH PROVISION OR THAT THE PROVISION IS NOT
"CONSPICUOUS."

     Section 12.18  Subordination. Each of the Company, the Subsidiaries and
Holders, by their acceptance of this Agreement, agree that all of the
Indebtedness, all payments in respect thereof (prior to the payment in full of
the Senior Indebtedness) and any renewals, refinancings or extensions thereof
shall be subordinate and junior in right to all Senior Indebtedness as set forth
and subject to the terms of the Subordination Agreement.

                 - Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank -
                            [Signature Page Follows]

                                       50

<PAGE>

     The parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the
day and year first above written.

                                        COMPANY:

                                        CASTLE DENTAL CENTERS, INC., a
                                        Delaware corporation

                                        By:    /s/ JP Keane
                                               ---------------------------------
                                        Name:  JP Keane
                                               ---------------------------------
                                        Title: Chief Financial Officer
                                               ---------------------------------

                                        Address for Notices:

                                        3701 Kirby Drive
                                        Suite 550
                                        Houston, Texas  77098
                                        Telecopier No.:   713.490.8420
                                        Telephone No.:    713.490.8400
                                        Attention:        James Usdan

                                             Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement

<PAGE>

     The parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the
day and year first above written.

                                        HELLER:

                                        HELLER FINANCIAL, INC., a Delaware
                                        corporation

                                        By:    /s/ Michael S. Sznajder
                                               ---------------------------------
                                        Name:  Michael S. Sznjder
                                               ---------------------------------
                                        Title: Senior Vice President
                                               ---------------------------------

                                        Address for Notices:

                                        HELLER FINANCIAL, INC.
                                        c/o Heller Healthcare Financial Services
                                        500 West Monroe Street
                                        Chicago, Illinois  60661
                                        ATTN:  Michael Sznajder
                                        Telecopy: 312.441.7598

                                        With a copy to:

                                        HELLER FINANCIAL, INC.
                                        c/o Heller Healthcare Financial Services
                                        2 Wisconsin Circle, 4th Floor
                                        Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815
                                        ATTN:  Katherine R. Lofft, Esq.
                                        Telecopy:  301.664.9866

                                             Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement

<PAGE>

     The parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the
day and year first above written.

                                        MIDWEST:

                                        MIDWEST MEZZANINE FUND II, L.P., a
                                        Delaware limited partnership

                                        By:  ABN AMRO Mezzanine
                                             Management II, L.P., its general
                                             partner

                                             By:  ABN AMRO Mezzanine
                                                  Management II, Inc., its
                                                  general partner

                                                  By:      Paul Kreie
                                                         -----------------------
                                                  Name:  Paul Kreie
                                                  Title: Vice President

                                        Address for Notices:

                                        Midwest Mezzanine Fund II, L.P.
                                        208 South LaSalle Street, 10th floor
                                        Chicago, Illinois 60604-1003
                                        ATTN: J. Allan Kayler
                                        Telecopy: 312.553.6647

                                             Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement

<PAGE>

     The parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the
day and year first above written.

                                        USDAN:

                                        JAMES M. USDAN, an individual

                                        By:     /s/  James M. Usdan
                                              ----------------------------------
                                        Name: James M. Usdan

                                        Address for Notices:

                                        c/o Castle Dental Centers, Inc.
                                        3701 Kirby Drive
                                        Suite 550
                                        Houston, Texas  77098
                                        Telecopier No.:   713.490.8420
                                        Telephone No.:    713.490.8400
                                        Attention:        James Usdan

                                             Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement

<PAGE>

                                EXHIBIT A to Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement

                                Form of Note

                                             Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement

<PAGE>

                                EXHIBIT B TO Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement

                                Form Of Warrant

                                             Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement

<PAGE>

                                EXHIBIT C to Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement

                         Form of Compliance Certificate

                             COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

     The undersigned hereby certifies, as of this ____ day of ____________,
20__, that s/he is the ________________ of CASTLE DENTAL CENTERS, INC., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and that as such s/he is authorized to
execute this certificate on behalf of the Company. With reference to the Senior
Subordinated Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement dated as of July 19, 2002
(together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications
from time to time thereto, the "Purchase Agreement") by and among the Company,
Midwest Mezzanine Fund II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ("Midwest"),
Heller Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Heller"), James M. Usdan, an
individual ("Usdan"; Usdan, Heller and Midwest are sometimes referred to each as
a "Holder" and collectively as the "Holders"), the undersigned represents and
warrants as follows (each capitalized term used herein having the same meaning
given to it in the Purchase Agreement unless otherwise specified):

          (a)       The representations and warranties of the Company contained
     in Article VII of the Purchase Agreement and in the Subordinated Note and
     Warrant Documents and otherwise made in writing by or on behalf of the
     Company pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and in the Subordinated Note and
     Warrant Documents were true and correct when made, and are repeated at and
     as of the time of delivery hereof and are true and correct at and as of the
     time of delivery hereof, except as such representations and warranties are
     modified to give effect to the transactions expressly permitted by the
     Purchase Agreement.

          (b)       Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has incurred any
     material liabilities, direct or contingent, since the date of the Financial
     Statements accompanying this certificate, except those allowed by the terms
     of the Agreement or consented to by the Agent in writing.

          (c)       Since the date of the Financial Statements accompanying this
     certificate, no Material Adverse Effect has occurred.

          (d)       There exists no Default or Event of Default under the
     Purchase Agreement or any event or circumstance which constitutes, or with
     notice or lapse of time (or both) would constitute, an event of default
     under any loan or credit agreement, indenture, deed of trust, security
     agreement or other agreement or instrument evidencing or pertaining to any
     Debt of the Company or any Subsidiary, or under any material agreement or
     instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which
     the Company or any Subsidiary is bound.

                                             Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement

<PAGE>

          (e)       The Company has performed and complied with all agreements
     and conditions contained in the Purchase Agreement and in the Subordinated
     Note and Warrant Documents required to be performed or complied with by it
     prior to or at the time of delivery hereof.

          (f)       The following computations reflect compliance with the
     following Sections of the Purchase Agreement:

     Section 9.11   Minimum EBITDA

     Section 9.14   Debt Service Coverage Ratio

     Section 9.16   Capital Expenditures

EXECUTED AND DELIVERED as of the day first written above.

                                        CASTLE DENTAL CENTERS, INC., a
                                        Delaware corporation

                                        By:
                                               ---------------------------------
                                        Name:
                                               ---------------------------------
                                        Title:
                                               ---------------------------------

                                             Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 10.4

NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE HEREOF HAS BEEN
REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, NOR THE
SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. NEITHER THIS WARRANT NOR THE COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE
UPON EXERCISE HEREOF MAY BE SOLD, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED
AT ANY TIME, EXCEPT UPON (1) SUCH REGISTRATION, OR (2) DELIVERY TO THE ISSUER OF
THIS WARRANT OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE ISSUER THAT
REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED FOR SUCH TRANSFER, OR (3) THE SUBMISSION TO THE
ISSUER OF THIS WARRANT OF OTHER EVIDENCE, REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE ISSUER,
TO THE EFFECT THAT ANY SUCH SALE, PLEDGE, HYPOTHECATION OR TRANSFER WILL NOT BE
IN VIOLATION OF THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR OTHER
APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE, OR ANY RULES OR REGULATIONS PROMULGATED
THEREUNDER.

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN
RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN A STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF JULY 19, 2002. A
COPY OF SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE OBTAINED BY THE HOLDER HEREOF AT THE COMPANY'S
PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS WITHOUT CHARGE.

                           CASTLE DENTAL CENTERS, INC.

                        WARRANT TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK

Warrant No.:__________________                            Number of Shares: ____
Date of Issuance: July 19, 2002

Castle Dental Centers, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), hereby
certifies that, for Ten United States Dollars ($10.00) and other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, ____________________, the registered holder hereof or its
permitted assigns, is entitled, subject to the terms set forth below, to
purchase from the Company upon surrender of this Warrant, at any time or times
on or after the date hereof, but not after 11:59 P.M. New York Time on the
Expiration Date (as defined herein) ________________ (_______) fully paid
nonassessable shares of the Company's common stock (the "Common Stock"), $.001
par value per share (the "Warrant Shares") at the purchase price per share
provided in Section 1(b) below.

     Section 1.

          (a)  Purchase Agreement. This Warrant is one of the warrants (the
"Share Warrants") issued pursuant to Section 2.01(b) of that certain Senior
Subordinated Note and

<PAGE>

Warrant Purchase Agreement dated as of July 19, 2002, among the Company and the
Persons (as defined below) referred to therein (as such agreement may be amended
from time to time as provided in such agreement, the "Purchase Agreement").

          (b)  Definitions. The following words and terms as used in this
Warrant shall have the following meanings:

               (i)     "Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, (i) any
     Person directly or indirectly controlled by, controlling or under common
     control with such first Person, (ii) any director or officer of such first
     Person or of any Person referred to in clause (i) above and (iii) if any
     Person in clause (i) above is an individual, any member of the immediate
     family (including parents, spouse and children) of such individual or any
     trust whose principal beneficiary is such individual or one (1) or more
     members of such immediate family and any Person who is controlled by any
     such member or trust. For purposes of this definition, any Person which
     owns directly or indirectly ten percent (10%) or more of the securities
     having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other
     governing body of a corporation or ten percent (10%) or more of the
     partnership or other ownership interests of any other Person (other than as
     a limited partner of such other Person) will be deemed to "control"
     (including, with its correlative meanings, "controlled by" and "under
     common control with") such corporation or other Person.

               (ii)    "Business Day" means any day other than Saturday, Sunday
     or other day on which commercial banks in the City of New York are
     authorized or required by law to remain closed.

               (iii)   "Capital Stock" or "capital stock" means (i) with respect
     to any Person that is a corporation, any and all shares, interests,
     participations, rights in, or other equivalents (however designated and
     whether voting and/or non-voting) of corporate stock, and (ii) with respect
     to any other Person, any and all partnership, limited partnership, limited
     liability company or other equity interest of such Person, whether
     outstanding on the date of the Warrant or issued after the date of the
     Warrant, and any and all rights or warrants exercisable or exchangeable for
     or convertible into such capital stock.

               (iv)    "Closing Bid Price" means, for any security as of any
     date, the last closing bid price for such security on the Principal Market
     as reported by Bloomberg Financial Markets ("Bloomberg"), or, if the
     Principal Market begins to operate on an extended hours basis and does not
     designate the closing bid price, then the last bid price of such security
     at 4:00 p.m. New York Time (or such other time as the Principal Market
     publicly announces is the official close of trading) as reported by
     Bloomberg, or, if the foregoing do not apply, the last closing bid price of
     such security in the over-the-counter market on the electronic bulletin
     board for such security as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no closing bid
     price is reported for such security by Bloomberg, the last closing trade
     price for such security as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no last closing
     trade price is reported for such security by Bloomberg, the average of the
     bid prices of any market makers for such security as reported in the "pink
     sheets" by the National Quotation Bureau, Inc. If the Closing Bid Price
     cannot be calculated for such security on such date

                                       -2-

<PAGE>

     on any of the foregoing bases, the Closing Bid Price of such security on
     such date shall be the fair market value (the "Fair Market Value") as
     mutually determined by the Company and the holders of the Share Warrants
     representing a majority of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon
     exercise of the Share Warrants then outstanding. If the Company and the
     holders of the majority of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon
     exercise of the Share Warrants then outstanding are unable to agree upon
     the Fair Market Value, then such dispute shall be resolved pursuant to
     Section 2(a) below. All such determinations to be appropriately adjusted
     for any stock dividend, stock split or other similar transaction during
     such period.

               (v)     "Convertible Securities" means any stock or securities
     (other than Options) directly or indirectly convertible into or
     exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock.

               (vi)    "Expiration Date" means July 18, 2012 or, if such date
     does not fall on a Business Day or on a day on which trading takes place on
     the Principal Market, then the next date Business Day.

               (vii)   "Options" means any rights, warrants or options to
     subscribe for or purchase Common Stock or Convertible Securities.

               (viii)  "Person" means an individual, a limited liability
     company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an
     unincorporated organization and a government or any department or agency
     thereof.

               (ix)    "Principal Market" means the principal securities
     exchange or trading market for the Common Stock.

               (x)     "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as
     amended.

               (xi)    "Stockholders Agreement" means that certain Stockholders
     Agreement, dated as of July 19, 2002, among the Company and each of the
     stockholders a party thereto.

               (xii)   "Warrant" means this Warrant and all warrants issued upon
     partial exercise, assignment, transfer, sale, exchange or replacement
     thereof.

               (xiii)  "Warrant Date" has the meaning ascribed to it in Section
     13.

               (xiv)   "Warrant Exercise Price" shall be equal to $.001, subject
     to adjustment as hereinafter provided.

     Section 2.     Exercise of Warrant.

          (a)       Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, this Warrant may
be exercised by the holder hereof then registered on the books of the Company,
in whole or in part, at any time on any Business Day on or after the opening of
business on the date hereof and prior to 11:59 P.M. New York Time on the
Expiration Date by (i) delivery of a written notice, in the

                                       -3-

<PAGE>

form of the subscription form attached as Exhibit A hereto (the "Exercise
Notice"), of such holder's election to exercise this Warrant, which notice shall
specify the number of Warrant Shares to be purchased, (ii) (A) payment to the
Company of an amount equal to the Warrant Exercise Price multiplied by the
number of Warrant Shares as to which this Warrant is being exercised (the
"Aggregate Exercise Price") or (B) by notifying the Company that this Warrant is
being exercised pursuant to a Cashless Exercise (as defined in Section 2(e), and
(iii) if this Warrant is being exercised with respect to all of the Warrant
Shares for which it can then be exercised, the surrender to a common carrier for
overnight delivery to the Company as soon as practicable following such date,
this Warrant (or an indemnification undertaking with respect to this Warrant in
the case of its loss, theft or destruction). In the event of any exercise of the
rights represented by this Warrant in compliance with this Section 2(a), the
Company shall on the second (2nd) Business Day (the "Warrant Share Delivery
Date") following the date of its receipt of the Exercise Notice, the Aggregate
Exercise Price (or notice of Cashless Exercise) and this Warrant (or an
indemnification undertaking with respect to this Warrant in the case of its
loss, theft or destruction) (the "Exercise Delivery Documents") (A), provided
that the transfer agent is participating in The Depository Trust Company ("DTC")
Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program and provided that the holder is
eligible to receive shares through DTC, upon the request of the holder of this
Warrant, credit the number of shares of Common Stock to which the holder is
entitled to the holder's balance account with DTC through its Deposit Withdrawal
Agent Commission system or (B) issue and deliver to the address specified in the
Exercise Notice, a certificate, registered in the name of the holder, for the
number of shares of Common Stock to which the holder is entitled. Upon delivery
of the Exercise Notice and Aggregate Exercise Price referred to in clause
(ii)(A) above or notification to the Company of a Cashless Exercise referred to
in Section 2(e), the holder of this Warrant shall be deemed for all corporate
purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect
to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery
of this Warrant as required by clause (iii) above or the certificates evidencing
such Warrant Shares. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the
arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Exercise Price and the arithmetic
calculation of the number of Warrant Shares, the Company shall instruct the
Transfer Agent to issue to the holder the number of shares of Common Stock that
is not disputed and shall transmit an explanation of the disputed arithmetic
calculations to the holder via facsimile within one (1) Business Day of receipt
of such holder's Exercise Notice or other date of determination. If such holder
and the Company are unable to agree upon the determination of the arithmetic
calculation of the Warrant Exercise Price and the arithmetic calculation of the
number of Warrant Shares within two (2) Business Days of such disputed
arithmetic calculation being transmitted to the holder, then the Company shall
within one (1) Business Day submit via facsimile the disputed arithmetic
calculations to the Company's independent, outside accountant. Furthermore, in
the event the holders of a majority of the Share Warrants then outstanding, on
the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, are unable to agree on the
Fair Market Value in accordance with the definition of Closing Bid Price, then
the Company shall submit as soon as reasonably practicable after it becomes
apparent that the parties do not agree as to the Fair Market Value, the disputed
determination of the Fair Market Value to an independent, reputable investment
bank selected by the Company and approved by the holders of a majority of the
Share Warrants then outstanding. The Company shall cause the investment bank or
the accountant, as the case may be, to perform the determinations or
calculations and notify the Company and the holders of the Share Warrants of the
results no later than two (2) Business Days from the time it

                                       -4-

<PAGE>

receives the disputed determinations or calculations. Such investment bank's or
accountant's determination or calculation, as the case may be, shall be binding
upon all parties. Within one (1) Business Day of the accountant's determination
of the calculation of arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Exercise Price and
the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant Shares, the Company shall
deliver to the holder the balance of Common Stock that such holder is entitled
to as provided herein (such date also deemed to be a Warrant Share Delivery
Date) and any failure to do so will subject the Company to the provisions of
this Section 2(a).

          (b)       Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein,
upon exercise of any portion of this Warrant in accordance with the terms
hereof, the holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to
the Company unless the full amount of Warrant Shares then represented by the
Warrant have been exercised. The Company shall maintain records showing the
Warrant Shares so exercised and the dates of such exercise or shall use such
other method, reasonably satisfactory to the holder, so as to account for the
number of Warrant Shares that are represented by the Warrant where the exercise
of the Warrant has occurred without the physical surrender of this Warrant.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any portion of this Warrant is converted as
aforesaid, thereafter, the holder may not transfer this Warrant unless the
holder first physically surrenders this Warrant to the Company, whereupon the
Company will forthwith issue and deliver to the holder a new Warrant of like
tenor, registered as the holder may request, representing in the aggregate the
remaining Warrant Shares represented by this Warrant. The holder, by acceptance
of this Warrant or such new Warrant, acknowledges and agrees that, by reason of
the provisions of this paragraph, following exercise of any portion of this
Warrant, the number of Warrant Shares represented by this Warrant may be less
than the number of Warrant Shares set forth on the face hereof. If a Warrant is
delivered to the Company by a holder and the number of Warrant Shares
represented by the Warrant submitted for exercise is greater than the number of
Warrant Shares that have been exercised, then the Company shall, as soon as
practicable and in no event later than three (3) Business Days after receipt of
the Warrant (the "Warrant Delivery Date") and at its own expense, issue and
deliver to the holder a new Warrant representing the number of Warrant Shares
not converted.

          (c)       In the event the Company receives an Exercise Notice from
more than one holder of a Share Warrant and the Company can, after fully
complying with Section 3(c), issue some, but not all, of such Common Stock
issuable upon exercise of such notices, the Company shall issue to each holder
of such Share Warrants a pro rata amount of such holder's Warrant Shares
submitted for exercise based on the amount of the Warrant Shares being exercised
by such holder relative to the aggregate amount of Warrant Shares being
exercised. No fractional shares of Common Stock are to be issued upon the
exercise of this Warrant, but rather the number of shares of Common Stock issued
upon exercise of this Warrant shall be rounded up or down to the nearest whole
number.

          (d)       If the Company shall fail for any reason or for no reason to
issue and deliver to the holder within three (3) Business Days of receipt of the
Exercise Delivery Documents a certificate for the number of shares of Common
Stock to which the holder is entitled or to credit, at the holder's request, the
holder's balance account with DTC for such number of shares of Common Stock to
which the holder is entitled upon the holder's exercise of this Warrant or to
issue a new Warrant for the number of shares of Common Stock to which such
holder is entitled pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, then the Company shall, in
addition to any

                                       -5-

<PAGE>

other remedies under this Warrant or the Purchase Agreement or otherwise
available to such holder (including any indemnification under the Purchase
Agreement), pay as additional damages in cash to such holder on each day after
the Warrant Share Delivery Date that such exercise is not timely effected and/or
each day after the Warrant Delivery Date that such Warrant is not delivered, as
the case may be, in an amount equal to 0.5% of the sum of (i) the product of (A)
the number of shares of Common Stock not issued to the holder on or prior to the
Warrant Share Delivery Date and (B) the Closing Bid Price of the Common Stock on
the Warrant Share Delivery Date, in the case of the failure to deliver Common
Stock, and (ii) if the Company has failed to deliver a Warrant to the holder on
or prior to the Warrant Delivery Date, the product of (x) the number of shares
of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrant (without regard to any
limitations on conversions herein or elsewhere, including, but not limited to,
any limitations as a result of the actual number of shares of Common Stock
authorized for issuance by the Company) as of the Warrant Delivery Date, and (y)
the Closing Bid Price of the Common Stock on the Warrant Delivery Date, in the
case of the failure to deliver a Warrant. If for any reason the holder has not
received all of the shares of Common Stock to which it is entitled to prior to
the tenth (10th) Business Day after the expiration of the Warrant Share Delivery
Date, then the holder, upon written notice to the Company, may void its Exercise
Notice with respect to, and retain or have returned or restored as of the date
of the Exercise Notice, as the case may be, any Warrant Shares pursuant to such
holder's Exercise Notice; provided that the voiding of a holder's Exercise
Notice shall not effect the Company's obligations to make any payments which
have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 2(d).

          (e)       Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary,
the holder of this Warrant may, at its election exercised in its sole
discretion, exercise this Warrant in whole or in part and, in lieu of making the
cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to the Company upon such exercise
in payment of the Aggregate Exercise Price, elect instead to receive upon such
exercise the "Net Number" of shares of Common Stock determined according to the
following formula (a "Cashless Exercise"):

     Net Number =   (A X B) - (A X C) / B

          For purposes of the foregoing formula:

                    A= the total number of shares with respect to which
                    this Warrant is then being exercised.

                    B= the Closing Bid Price of the Common Stock on the
                    trading day immediately preceding the date of the
                    Exercise Notice.

                    C= the Warrant Exercise Price then in effect for the
                    applicable Warrant Shares at the time of such
                    exercise.

     Section 3.     Covenants as to Common Stock. The Company hereby covenants
and

                                       -6-

<PAGE>

agrees as follows:

          (a)       This Warrant is, and any Warrants issued in substitution for
or replacement of this Warrant will upon issuance be, duly authorized and
validly issued, not subject to any preemptive rights, and free from all taxes,
liens, security interests, charges, and other encumbrances with respect to the
issuance thereof, other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring
contemporaneously with such issue.

          (b)       All Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of
the rights represented by this Warrant will, upon issuance, be validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable, and not subject to any preemptive rights, and free
from all taxes, liens, security interests, charges, and other encumbrances with
respect to the issuance thereof, other than taxes in respect of any transfer
occurring contemporaneously with such issue.

          (c)       During the period within which the rights represented by
this Warrant may be exercised, (i) the Company will at all times have authorized
and reserved at least 100% of the number of shares of Common Stock needed to
provide for the exercise of the rights then represented by this Warrant (and if
there is ever an insufficient amount of shares of Common Stock to provide for
the exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant (an "Authorized Share
Failure"), the Company shall immediately take all action necessary to cause the
number of Company's authorized shares of Common Stock to be sufficient to
accomplish the holder's right of exercise hereunder) and, (ii) the Company will
ensure that the par value of said shares will at all times be less than or equal
to the applicable Warrant Exercise Price. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing sentence, as soon as practicable after the date of the occurrence of
an Authorized Share Failure, but in no event later than 75 days after the
occurrence of such Authorized Share Failure, the Company shall hold a meeting of
its stockholders for the authorization of either an increase in the number of
authorized shares of Common Stock or a reverse stock split with respect to the
Common Stock. In connection with such meeting, the Company shall provide each
stockholder with a proxy statement and shall use its best efforts to solicit its
stockholders' approval of such increase in authorized shares of Common Stock or
reverse stock split and to cause its board of directors to recommend to the
stockholders that they approve such proposal. In addition, as soon as
practicable after the date the par value is greater than the Warrant Exercise
Price as a result of an adjustment provided for herein, but in no event later
than 75 days after the effective date of such adjustment, the Company shall hold
a meeting of its stockholders for the authorization of an decrease in the par
value of Common Stock. In connection with such meeting, the Company shall
provide each stockholder with a proxy statement and shall use its best efforts
to solicit its stockholders' approval of such decrease and to cause its board of
directors to recommend to the stockholders that they approve such proposal.

          (d)       The Company will not, by amendment of its Certificate of
Incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation,
merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action,
avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms to be
observed or performed by it hereunder, but will at all times in good faith
assist in the carrying out of all the provisions of this Warrant and in the
taking of all such action as may reasonably be requested by the holder of this
Warrant in order to protect the exercise privilege of the holder of this Warrant
against dilution or other impairment, consistent with the tenor and purpose of
this Warrant. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the

                                       -7-

<PAGE>

Company (i) will not increase the par value of any shares of Common Stock
receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant above the Warrant Exercise Price
then in effect (except as otherwise provided in Section 3(c) above, and (ii)
will take all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the
Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of
Common Stock upon the exercise of this Warrant.

     Section 4.     Taxes. The Company shall pay any and all taxes which may
be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of Warrant Shares upon
exercise of this Warrant.

     Section 5.     Warrant Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder; Notice of Corporate
Action. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, no holder, as such, of
this Warrant shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the
holder of shares of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in
this Warrant be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the
rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold
consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock,
reclassification of stock, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise),
receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights, or
otherwise, prior to the issuance to the holder of this Warrant of the Warrant
Shares which he, she, or it is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of
this Warrant. In addition, nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed
as imposing any liabilities on such holder to purchase any securities (upon
exercise of this Warrant or otherwise) or as a stockholder of the Company,
whether such liabilities are asserted by the Company or by creditors of the
Company. Notwithstanding this Section 5, the Company will provide the holder of
this Warrant with copies of the same notices and other information given to the
stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the giving thereof
to the stockholders. Furthermore, so long as this Warrant has not been exercised
in full:

          (a)       Immediately upon any adjustment of the Exercise Price or the
number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant, the
Company will give written notice thereof to the holder of such adjustment and a
certificate of a firm of independent public accountants of recognized national
standing selected by the Board of Directors of the Company (who shall be
appointed at the Company's expense and who may be the independent public
accountants regularly employed by the Company) setting forth the number of
shares of Common Stock and the Exercise Price of such shares after such
adjustment, setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such
adjustment and setting forth the computation by which such adjustment was made.

          (b)       The Company will give written notice to the holder at least
twenty (20) Business Days prior to the date on which the Company closes its
books or takes a record (i) with respect to any dividend or distribution upon
the Common Stock, (ii) with respect to any pro rata subscription offer to
holders of Common Stock or (iii) for determining rights to vote with respect to
any Organic Change (as defined in Section 9 (b)), dissolution or liquidation,
provided that such information shall have been made known to the public prior to
or in conjunction with such notice being provided to such holder.

          (c)       The Company will also give written notice to holder at least
twenty (20) days prior to the date on which any Organic Change, dissolution or
liquidation will take place,

                                       -8-

<PAGE>

provided that such information shall have been made known to the public prior to
or in conjunction with such notice being provided to such holder.

     Section 6.     Representations of Holder. The holder of this Warrant, by
the acceptance hereof, represents that it is acquiring this Warrant and the
Warrant Shares for its own account for investment only and not with a view
towards, or for resale in connection with, the public sale or distribution of
this Warrant or the Warrant Shares, except pursuant to sales registered or
exempted under the Securities Act; provided, however, that by making the
representations herein, the holder does not agree to hold this Warrant or any of
the Warrant Shares for any minimum or other specific term and reserves the right
to dispose of this Warrant and the Warrant Shares at any time in accordance with
or pursuant to a registration statement or an exemption under the Securities
Act. The holder of this Warrant further represents, by acceptance hereof, that,
as of this date, such holder is an "accredited investor" as such term is defined
in Rule 501(a)(3) of Regulation D promulgated by the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Securities Act (an "Accredited Investor").

     Section 7.     Ownership and Transfer.

          (a)       Warrant Register. The Company shall maintain at its
principal executive offices (or such other office or agency of the Company as it
may designate by notice to the holder hereof), a register for this Warrant, in
which the Company shall record the name and address of the person in whose name
this Warrant has been issued, as well as the name and address of each
transferee. The Company may treat the person in whose name any Warrant is
registered on the register as the owner and holder thereof for all purposes,
notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, but in all events recognizing any
transfers made in accordance with the terms of this Warrant.

          (b)       Transferability and Negotiability of Warrant. Title to this
Warrant may be transferred by endorsement (by the holder hereof executing the
Assignment Form attached hereto as Exhibit B) and delivery in the same manner as
negotiable instruments transferable by endorsement and delivery.

          (c)       Exchange of Warrant Upon a Transfer. This Warrant shall be
transferable by the holder hereof to any of its Affiliates or any other Person
subject only to the restrictions set forth in the legend on the first page of
this Warrant and the restrictions set forth in the Stockholders Agreement. On
surrender of this Warrant for exchange, properly endorsed on the Assignment Form
and subject to the provisions hereof with respect to compliance with the
Securities Act, the Company at its expense shall issue to or on the order of
such holder a new warrant or warrants of like tenor, in the name of such holder
or as such holders (on payment by the holder of any applicable transfer taxes)
may direct, exercisable for the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon
the exercise hereof.

     Section 8.     Adjustment of Warrant Exercise Price and Number of Shares.
The Warrant Exercise Price and the number of shares of Common Stock issuable
upon exercise of this Warrant shall be adjusted from time to time as follows:

          (a)       Adjustment of Warrant Exercise Price upon Subdivision or
Combination

                                       -9-

<PAGE>

of Common Stock. If the Company at any time after the date of issuance of this
Warrant subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or
otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a
greater number of shares, the Warrant Exercise Price in effect immediately prior
to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced and the number of shares of
Common Stock obtainable upon exercise of this Warrant will be proportionately
increased. If the Company at any time after the date of issuance of this Warrant
combines (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) one or more classes
of its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the
Warrant Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be
proportionately increased and the number of shares of Common Stock obtainable
upon exercise of this Warrant will be proportionately decreased. If the Company
at any time after the date of issuance of this Warrant reduces the par value per
share of the Common Stock to an amount less than the Warrant Exercise Price in
effect immediately prior to such reduction, the Warrant Exercise Price shall be
reduced to the par value per share of the Common Stock. Any adjustment under
this Section 8(a) shall become effective at the close of business on the date
the subdivision, combination or reduction becomes effective.

          (b)       Certain Events. If any event occurs of the type contemplated
by the provisions of this Section 8 but not expressly provided for by such
provisions, then the Company's Board of Directors will make an appropriate
adjustment in the Warrant Exercise Price and the number of shares of Common
Stock obtainable upon exercise of this Warrant so as to protect the rights of
the holders of the Share Warrants.

          (c)       Distribution of Securities. If securities of the Company or
securities of any subsidiary of the Company are distributed pro rata to holders
of any or all of the Company's securities, such number of securities will be
distributed to the holder of this Warrant or its assignee upon exercise of its
rights hereunder as such Warrant holder or assignee would have been entitled to
if this Warrant had been exercised prior to such distribution, giving effect to
all adjustments called for by this Section 8. The provisions with respect to
adjustment of the Common Stock provided in this Section 8 will also apply to the
securities of the Company and securities of any subsidiary to which the Warrant
holder or its assignee is entitled under this Section 8 (c).

     Section 9.     Purchase Rights; Reorganization, Reclassification,
Consolidation, Merger or Sale. (a) In addition to any adjustments pursuant to
Section 8 above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Options,
Convertible Securities or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or
other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Common Stock (the
"Purchase Rights"), then the holder of this Warrant will be entitled to acquire,
upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights
which such holder could have acquired if such holder had held the number of
shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant
immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance
or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of
which the record holders of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant,
issue or sale of such Purchase Rights.

          (b)       Any recapitalization, reorganization, reclassification,
consolidation, merger, sale of all or substantially all of the Company's assets
to another Person, conveyance to

                                      -10-

<PAGE>

another Person of the property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as
an entirety or other transaction which is effected in such a way that holders of
Common Stock are entitled to receive (either directly or upon subsequent
liquidation) Capital Stock, securities or assets with respect to or in exchange
for Common Stock is referred to herein as an "Organic Change." Prior to the
consummation of, and as a condition to, any (i) sale or other conveyance of all
or substantially all of the Company's assets to an acquiring Person or (ii)
other Organic Change, the Company, or such other successor or purchasing Person,
as the case may be, shall make lawful and adequate provision whereby the holder
of this Warrant shall have the right thereafter to receive on exercise of such
Warrant the kind and amount of securities and property receivable upon such
Organic Change by a holder of the number of securities issuable upon exercise of
such Warrant immediately prior to such Organic Change. The above provisions of
this Section 9(b) shall similarly apply to successive Organic Changes.

     Section 10.    Lost, Stolen, Mutilated or Destroyed Warrant. If this
Warrant is lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed, the Company shall promptly, on
receipt of an indemnification undertaking (or in the case of a mutilated
Warrant, the Warrant), issue a new Warrant of like denomination and tenor as
this Warrant so lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed.

     Section 11.    Notice. Whenever notice is required to be given under this
Warrant, unless otherwise provided herein, such notice shall be given in
accordance with the notice provisions in the Purchase Agreement. Any party may
by notice given in accordance with this Section 11 designate an address or
Person for receipt of notices hereunder.

     Section 12.    Registration Rights. If the holder hereof is a party to, or
an assignee of rights under, that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated
as of July 19, 2002, by and among the Company and the Persons who are
signatories thereto, such holder shall be entitled to include with such holder's
registrable securities any shares of Common Stock or other securities received
upon exercise of this Warrant, all on the terms and conditions as set forth in
such Registration Rights Agreement.

     Section 13.    Amendments. This Warrant and any term hereof may be changed,
waived, discharged, or terminated only by an instrument in writing signed by the
Company and the holders of the Share Warrants representing a majority of the
shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Share Warrants then
outstanding; provided, however, that no amendment, modification or waiver can be
effected if, by its terms, such amendment, modification or waiver adversely
affects one (1) holder without having the same adverse effect on all other
holders without the prior written consent of the adversely affected holder.

     Section 14.    Date. The date of this Warrant is July 19, 2002 (the
"Warrant Date"). This Warrant, in all events, shall be wholly void and of no
effect after the close of business on the Expiration Date, except that
notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the provisions of Section 7 shall
continue in full force and effect after such date as to any Warrant Shares or
other securities issued upon the exercise of this Warrant.

     Section 15.    Descriptive Headings; Governing Law. The descriptive
headings of the several sections and paragraphs of this Warrant are inserted for
convenience only and do not constitute a part of this Warrant. The corporate
laws of the State of Delaware shall govern all

                                      -11-

<PAGE>

issues concerning the relative rights of the Company and its stockholders. All
other questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and
interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by the internal laws of the
State of Illinois, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law
provision or rule (whether of the State of Illinois or any other jurisdiction)
that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the
State of Illinois.

                                      -12-

<PAGE>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has executed this Warrant as of the
19th day of July, 2002.

                                            CASTLE DENTAL CENTERS, INC.

                                            By:
                                               ---------------------------------
                                            Name:
                                                 -------------------------------
                                            Title:
                                                  ------------------------------

<PAGE>

                              EXHIBIT A TO WARRANT

                                SUBSCRIPTION FORM

        TO BE EXECUTED BY THE REGISTERED HOLDER TO EXERCISE THIS WARRANT

                           CASTLE DENTAL CENTERS, INC.

     The undersigned holder hereby exercises the right to purchase
_________________ of the shares of Common Stock ("Warrant Shares") of Castle
Dental Centers, Inc., a ___________ corporation (the "Company"), evidenced by
the attached Warrant (the "Warrant"). Capitalized terms used herein and not
otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Warrant.

     1. Form of Warrant Exercise Price. The Holder intends that payment of the
Warrant Exercise Price shall be made as:

          ____________ "Cash Exercise" with respect to _________________
                        Warrant Shares; and/or

          ____________ "Cashless Exercise" with respect to _________________
                        Warrant Shares (to the extent permitted by the terms of
                        the Warrant).

     2. Payment of Warrant Exercise Price. In the event that the holder has
elected a Cash Exercise with respect to some or all of the Warrant Shares to be
issued pursuant hereto, the holder shall pay the Aggregate Exercise Price in the
sum of $___________________ to the Company in accordance with the terms of the
Warrant.

     3. Delivery of Warrant Shares. The Company shall deliver to the holder
__________ Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.

Date: _______________ __, ______

 Name of Registered Holder

By:
     -----------------------------------

     Name:
          ------------------------------
     Title:
           -----------------------------

<PAGE>

                                 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

     The Company hereby acknowledges this Subscription Form and hereby directs
[TRANSFER AGENT] to issue the above indicated number of shares of Common Stock
in accordance with the Transfer Agent Instructions dated ________________, 200_
from the Company and acknowledged and agreed to by [TRANSFER AGENT].

                                        Castle Dental Centers, Inc.

                                        By:
                                            ------------------------------------
                                        Name:
                                              ----------------------------------
                                        Title:
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                              EXHIBIT B TO WARRANT

                                 ASSIGNMENT FORM

     FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned registered owner of this Warrant hereby
sells, assigns and transfers unto the assignee named below all of the rights of
the undersigned under this Warrant, with respect to the number of shares of
Common Stock set forth below:

Name and Address of Assignee                                No. of Shares of
                                                             Preferred Stock

and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________________
attorney-in-fact to register such transfer onto the books of Castle Dental
Centers, Inc. maintained for the purpose, with full power of substitution in the
premises.

Date:                                   Print
                                        Name:
                                                    --------------------------

                                        Signature:
                                                    --------------------------
                                        Witness:
                                                    --------------------------

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00041-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00041-of-00352.parquet"}]]