Buying Your First (or Next) Practice? Here’s What Most Dentists Get Wrong

Hi everyone,  

I’ve seen too many dentists jump into practice ownership without fully grasping what they’re actually buying. It’s not just a building. It’s not just patients. And it’s definitely not just equipment. 

It’s a business, complete with legacy issues, staffing challenges, lease obligations, hidden costs, and financial blind spots. And yet, for many, buying a practice ends up being more emotional than strategic. 

I say this with experience, as someone who’s bought, grown, and exited clinics myself. 

Why Most Practice Purchases Go Wrong 

Here’s the hard truth: most of the financial pain we see from new practice owners doesn’t come from the deal price. It comes from what wasn’t seen during the deal. 

Add in recruitment issues, UDA delivery shortfalls, and slow revenue ramp-up—and that dream practice quickly starts to look like a burden. 

And let’s not even get into the number of times we’ve seen inflated goodwill valuations with no sustainable profit behind them. 

That’s why I keep saying: the purchase price is only the start. What you buy—and how you buy it—matters more. 

What Buying Smart Actually Looks Like 

It’s not about getting the cheapest deal—it’s about getting the right deal. And that means going deeper than the headline numbers. 

For that, you’ve got to ask way more important questions. 

What’s the EBITDA saying? Are there red flags in staff contracts, lease clauses, or patient retention figures? Does the vendor’s projected turnover actually stack up in today’s NHS/private climate? 

We model the purchase from every angle—how much working capital you’ll need post-completion, where to renegotiate, and what needs to change from Day One to make the business work for you.  

It’s part financial due diligence, part strategic forecasting, part real-world advice. 

How We Help You Buy Right 

We’ve built our advisory around one simple goal: making sure you don’t buy a problem disguised as a practice. 

Our team helps dentists navigate the entire acquisition process—from assessing financials and negotiating terms to helping you build a sustainable plan for post-deal success. It’s not just about ticking legal boxes. It’s about ensuring you buy a business that works for you. 

And every part of what we recommend—we’ve done in our own clinics. No fluff, no hypotheticals. 

Ready to Buy Smarter? 

Whether it’s your first practice or your third, let’s make sure you’re buying with your eyes wide open. Because in this market, mistakes don’t just cost money—they cost momentum. 

Book a call and we’ll walk you through how we do it step by step: 

Cheers, 

Arun