Selling a dental practice is one of the biggest decisions in a dentist’s career. While it can bring a sense of anticipation and opportunity, it can also feel complex without the right support.
At mydentist, our Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) team works closely with practice owners across the UK to help them feel confident about what comes next. Drawing on their experience of supporting practice sales, three of our experts share what really matters when preparing to sell in this guide to selling your dental practice.
Why planning ahead makes a difference
Preparing in advance of selling your dental practice is vital, with our M&A team suggesting a successful sale often begins long before a practice is formally brought to market. When asked for her insight, Roisin O’Brien, Senior M&A Manager, commented: “There is an array of elements that any practice owner should consider but the most important, I feel, is to have a carefully thought-out exit strategy that includes timings.
Timing is very important when selling your practice. For example, they need to consider the demographics of their practice— is the revenue heavily based upon their work — if so, they may have to realise a tie in.
If that’s not something they want post-acquisition they need to start taking the steps, before considering selling, to rectify that which in turn takes time.”
Although selling a practice is an exciting journey, when asked for his advice, Jon Day, Head of M&A at mydentist, commented: “I’d recommend any owner looking to sell their practice starts thinking about what this could look like well before they actually want to exit, and that they have a clear strategy on what their aims are post-sale.
For many, it’s about more than just the money - you will need to be ready to come to market at the time that best suits your business, not at the last minute when you need to get out.”
Choosing the right buyer
While demand for dental practices remains high, finding the right buyer is about more than simply agreeing a deal. You mut consider your reasons for selling and how the process will impact your plans.
Shaun Wilde, Director of Business Development at mydentist, suggested those considering selling their practice consider the reason for doing so, before committing to a buyer. When asked for further insight, Shaun commented: “This reason should determine who the right buyer is for your practice. If you’re planning to retire, for example, then selling to a buyer who intends to take your patient list and work in the practice could work out to be the most viable route.
However, if you are selling with a view to relinquishing the burden of running your practice, then a corporate buyer could be the best option.”
Jon Day also emphasised the importance of understanding a buyer’s plans: “It’s vital that the vendor understands the buyers plans for the practice and how they wish to develop the business moving forwards. The last thing a vendor needs is to sell their practice but still be left with the day to day running of the practice and all the stress and distraction that this brings with it.”
Jon added: "There is likely to be some form of deferred payment, with some buyers this can stretch out to as much as 5 years. Some buyers will also attempt to target the vendor on the performance of the practice post sale. This is completely counter intuitive.”
Challenging misconceptions about corporate dentistry
For some dentists, selling a practice is a way to step back from business responsibilities and spend more time focusing on clinical care. However, long-standing perceptions about corporate dentistry can influence how people feel about taking that step.
When asked for his opinion on why someone should consider mydentist, Shaun Wilde commented: “Historically, there has been a misconception that corporate buyers will take away or dampen clinical freedom. Luckily, this couldn’t be further from the reality of mydentist, with clinical freedom remaining at the core of everything we do.”
Jon Day added: “We promote clinical choice and have the largest clinical support network in the UK. I have also heard misconceptions that corporates will try and tie you into a deal and penalise you against targets. However, mydentist structures the deal with a 2-year tie in and will not target the vendor on practice performance post completion.”
Sharing her insight, Roisin O’Brien highlighted the importance of a tailored approach: “One of the biggest misconceptions I’ve seen is that all corporates are the same and that they all offer a ‘one size fits all’ approach. From the outset, we’re open and lead with transparency with our vendors – that’s something I’m very proud of.”
Thinking about selling your dental practice?
Selling a practice is not simply a transaction — it’s a big step that can shape what comes next in a dentist’s career. With the right preparation and the right support, practice owners can move forward feeling confident about their future, their teams and the continued care of their patients. At mydentist, our focus is on making that process as clear and supportive as possible from the very first conversation.