Buying a Dental Practice in the UK — The Realistic Guide

The practice is for sale. You've walked through it. You can see yourself there. The numbers look reasonable. The previous owner is retiring. It feels like the right time.

Then the process starts. And it gets complicated in ways you didn't expect.

What you're actually buying

Most people think they're buying a dental practice. What you're actually buying is a patient list and the right to operate in that location.

The furniture is usually ten years old. The surgery equipment is older. The patient management software might be outdated. The staff might leave. The landlord might not renew the lease. The NHS contract might be downgraded.

You're buying revenue and the infrastructure that produces it. Everything else is variable.

The valuation

Practices are typically valued between 60-80% of annual turnover, depending on:

• Age of the patient base. Older patients are less valuable because they might stop coming, move away, or die. Young families are more valuable because they'll be there for years.
• NHS vs. private split. Pure NHS practices are worth less because the income is capped and you can't grow it without opening time. Pure private are worth more but have more risk if patients leave.
• Quality of the staff. If the practice runs well without the owner constantly intervening, it's more valuable. If it falls apart without the owner, it's risky.
• Track record of the location. Has the practice grown or stagnated over the last five years? That tells you something about the market.
• Condition of everything else. Old surgery equipment, outdated systems, and a tired building reduce value.

The process

It takes longer than you think. Budget six to nine months from first viewing to opening the doors as the new owner.

Month 1-2: Valuation and offer. You get the financial records, understand the revenue breakdown, and make an offer. This might go back and forth.

Month 2-3: Due diligence. You'll need a solicitor to check the lease, contracts, and liabilities. You'll need an accountant to verify the numbers. You might need a surveyor if there are property issues. This costs money upfront.

Month 3-4: Financing. Banks want to see stable revenue and low risk. They'll scrutinise the numbers. They might ask for personal guarantees. Interest rates are higher than for property mortgages.

Month 4-5: Regulatory stuff. You'll need to notify the GDC. If it's an NHS practice, you need to apply for a new contract or assume the existing one. Private practices have fewer hoops but you need professional indemnity insurance sorted.

Month 5-6: Staff conversations. People get nervous when ownership changes. You need to reassure them, clarify employment terms, and sometimes negotiate new arrangements. Some might leave.

Month 6-9: Transition. You'll spend time with the previous owner learning systems, patient dynamics, and problem areas. Then you take over.

The money

Most people underestimate how much this costs.

The purchase price is obvious. If the practice turns over £500k and you pay 70%, that's £350k. Few dentists have that in cash.

Financing costs are real. If you borrow £280k at 6% over 10 years, that's £3,200 per month before you've seen a patient. Add that to your calculations.

Due diligence costs (solicitor, accountant, surveyor, surveys) add up to £3-5k.

Transition costs (new systems, staff changes, marketing) can be £5-10k.

Working capital buffer — money to survive the first six months if revenue dips — should be at least £30-50k.

By the time you open the doors, you've spent significantly more than just the purchase price.

What can go wrong

Revenue drops after you take over. Patients might leave. Staff might leave. You might lose the practice manager who knew everything. Revenue could drop 10-20% for the first few months as things settle.

The lease terms are worse than you thought. The landlord can raise rent significantly at renewal. You discover the building is in worse condition than you thought.

NHS contract is downgraded. If you're buying an NHS practice, the dental commissioner might downgrade the units or patient count. This directly reduces your income with no warning.

Hidden liabilities. Employment disputes, patient complaints, regulatory issues — these can surface after you buy.

Key staff leave. The practice manager, the hygienist, the receptionist — if the previous owner was the only person holding things together, you'll have a crisis.

What actually helps

Get a practice broker involved. They cost money but they handle negotiations, due diligence, and connections to lenders. It's worth it.

Talk to the previous owner honestly. Ask about problems, staff dynamics, patient churn, why they're selling. Some will be honest, some won't. Listen for what they're not saying.

Verify the numbers independently. Don't just take the practice accounts at face value. Look at bank statements, patient payment records, staff costs. See where the money actually goes.

Plan for revenue drop. Assume 10-15% revenue drop in the first six months. Budget accordingly. If revenue stays flat, you're doing better than expected.

Keep the team. Budget to keep the staff on, at least initially. Replacing the office manager alone will cost you time and money. Stability is valuable.

Have a business plan. What will you do differently? How will you grow? What systems will you change? If you don't have a plan, you'll be reacting to problems instead of building.

The honest bit

Buying a practice is a significant financial and emotional commitment. Some of the best decisions you'll make as a practice owner happen in the first year. Some of the worst ones happen then too.

The practices that succeed are the ones where the buyer had a plan, kept the team stable, and made decisions based on data instead of panic.

The practices that struggle are the ones where the buyer expected to walk in and continue exactly as before, or tried to change everything immediately and panicked when it didn't work.

Listen to conversations with dentists who've bought practices in the UK on Between Patients. They share the real numbers, the real problems, and what they'd do differently.

Apply to be a guest if you've bought a practice.