Buying, taking over or opening a dental practice in the UK: a guide for investors

Owning a dental practice in the UK is a business investment, not only a career step.

The purchase is the start of the work. The harder part is running the practice well afterwards. This article sets out the main steps, the rules that shape them, and the mistakes that the sector's advisers warn about.

This article is general information. It is not legal, financial or immigration advice, and Knightsbridge Academy is not a law firm.

Who can own a dental practice?

An individual or a partnership can run a practice. A company can do so as well, but it must meet rules set by the Dentists Act 1984.

The General Dental Council (GDC) is not a licensing body. A dental body corporate does not need GDC approval to be set up ¹. The law still applies, though. A body corporate commits an offence if it carries on dentistry while the majority of its directors are not registered dentists or registered dental care professionals ¹.

The GDC does not give legal advice on how the Act applies. For ownership questions, it points to a solicitor ¹. Tell your advisers early if you plan to buy through a company ⁵.

What are the three ways in?

• Buying an existing practice. You take over the premises, equipment, patients and, in some cases, an NHS contract.
• Taking over a share. You join as a partner, or buy shares in a company that owns the practice.
• Opening a new practice. You find premises, fit out, register and build a patient list.

Each route has its own risks. Buying an existing practice means you inherit its history. Opening a new one means you build everything yourself.

What should you know about the NHS contract?

Most NHS practices work under a General Dental Services (GDS) contract. Some work under Personal Dental Services (PDS) ⁵. Find out which type applies and who is named as the provider ⁵.

NHS England's policy book lists who may hold a GDS contract. They include an individual dentist, a partnership with at least one dentist, a dental corporation, and a limited liability partnership ². The list for PDS agreements is wider ².

Moving a contract between an individual or partnership and a company counts as a complete change of the contracting party. The policy book calls this a novation ².

In a share sale, an NHS contract may bar a change of ownership without NHS consent. Specialist solicitors advise checking the contract for this at the start and talking to the NHS early ⁴. Do not assume that buying a practice means you receive its NHS contract.

If you are not a registered dentist, check early whether you can legally join an NHS contract ⁵.

What does CQC registration involve?

In England, providers of dental care must register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Starting a new practice, taking over an existing one, or changing an existing registration all need an application ³.

CQC says it will reject an application that is missing required documents or contains errors. From 5 May 2026, a building control final certificate is needed for locations that require building regulations approval. Dental services also need extra documents and a separate oral health service form ⁶.

Applicants also need enhanced DBS checks ⁴,⁷. Apply for these early, because they can hold up completion ⁷.

How long registration takes depends on the case, and published estimates differ. One law firm cites 12 to 16 weeks ⁷. Plan for months, not weeks, and check CQC's own guidance for the current position.

What are due diligence and the sale documents?

Due diligence means checking what you are really buying. Lawyers and accountants review the business, its assets and its employees ⁷.

Advisers suggest looking at ⁴,⁸:

• the NHS contract, including any breach or underperformance notices
• equipment lists and compliance documents
• supplier contracts
• employment contracts and associate agreements
• practice accounts and insurance
• property documents, such as planning evidence and energy performance certificates

The sale documents are what you rely on if the practice is not as it seemed. They are either a business purchase agreement or a share purchase agreement ⁷.

In a share sale, employees stay where they are. In an asset sale from an individual or partnership, TUPE applies and staff transfer on the same terms ⁴. Take specialist advice on both.

Which mistakes do advisers warn about?

This list comes from law firm and bank guidance, not from Knightsbridge Academy's own observation.

• Instructing advisers late. Specialist dental solicitors and accountants are needed early. A dental purchase involves bodies such as CQC and NHS England ⁸.
• Relying only on the seller's valuation. Advisers suggest an independent valuation ⁸.
• Leaving funding until late. Sellers often want evidence of lending in principle, and lenders may ask for security such as a charge over your home ⁸.
• Skipping the NHS contract check. Read the contract, its transfer terms and its performance record ⁴,⁸.
• Underestimating CQC and DBS timing. Late applications delay completion ⁵,⁷.
• Overlooking agent fees. Check the agent's terms. You may be liable for their fees on completion ⁷.
• Forgetting a restrictive covenant. If the seller will not stay on as an associate, advisers suggest protecting the goodwill you are paying for ⁸.
• Deciding the structure late. Delays over the buying vehicle, lease or CQC slow the whole process ⁵.
• Ignoring hidden defects. The principle of "buyer beware" means problems found after sale can be costly ⁵.

Who does this route suit?

This section reflects Knightsbridge Academy's experience, not an official source.

Buying or opening a practice suits an investor. In our experience, the people who do well are business-minded dentists and entrepreneurs who have:

• the economic strength to fund the purchase and the running costs
• the infrastructure to support a business
• the experience to run a practice after the sale
• the funds to keep it going afterwards

Taking over is only the first step. The investment continues for as long as you own the practice.

Who is it probably not for?

If you lack the capital, the business experience or the resources to sustain a practice, this route is probably not for you yet. A practice is a business with staff, patients, regulators and bills.

You may do better to build your career and savings first, and to come back to ownership later.

If you are an overseas dentist, remember that GDC registration and permission to work are separate matters. Our article on self-sponsorship explains the immigration side in general terms.

What should you do next?

• Decide whether you want to buy, take over or open.
• Instruct a dental solicitor and a dental accountant before you make an offer.
• Read the practice's NHS contract and ask about the transfer terms.
• Plan CQC and DBS applications early.
• Agree your funding in principle.

If you would like to talk it through, you can book an appointment with one of Knightsbridge Academy's consultants through our UK career consultancy page. We help with business planning and process. For legal and financial matters, you will need a solicitor and an accountant. The ORE Preparation Programme page explains how we help dentists prepare for registration.

References

1. General Dental Council. Corporate dentistry. https://www.gdc-uk.org/professionals/employers/corporate-dentistry
2. NHS England. Policy book for primary dental services (version 5, updated May 2024). https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/policy-book-for-primary-dental-services/
3. British Dental Association. CQC registration in England. https://www.bda.org/advice/your-dental-business/national-standards-and-regulation/cqc-registration-england/
4. JMW Solicitors. Key considerations when buying or selling a dental practice, 25 March 2024. https://www.jmw.co.uk/blog/corporate/considerations-when-buying-or-selling-a-dental-practice
5. Lloyds Bank. Guide to buying a dental practice, 13 August 2025. https://www.lloydsbank.com/business/resource-centre/insight/guide-to-buying-a-dental-practice.html
6. Care Quality Commission. Supporting documents: new provider registration applications. https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-regulation/registration/supporting-documents-provider
7. Weightmans LLP. How to buy a dental practice, 12 December 2024. https://www.weightmans.com/insights/how-to-buy-a-dental-practice/
8. Capsticks. Top 5 legal tips when buying a dental practice, 15 May 2019. https://www.capsticks.com/insights/top-5-legal-tips-when-buying-a-dental-practice

Last reviewed: November 2026

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Internal links

• UK career consultancy (uk-career-consultancy.html), for booking a consultant
• ORE Preparation Programme
• Self-sponsorship for dentists in the UK
• Later articles in this series: CQC registration for a new practice, NHS or private contracts, due diligence checklist, shares or assets

Image idea

A dentist and an adviser reviewing plans and documents at a practice reception, or an empty treatment room with a floor plan. Use our own archive photos or a neutral stock image. No logos.

Open points (not for publication)

• Prices, valuation multiples and finance figures are left out on purpose. The sources give no reliable figures.
• CQC timing: no single number is given. Sources differ (a 2019 law firm article says 8 to 10 weeks, a December 2024 law firm article says 12 to 16 weeks, a 2024 compliance consultant says at least 16). Check CQC's current guidance before publication.
• The NHS England policy book was read only to about the end of Section 5. Whether a buyer takes over an NHS contract on sale is not stated in the part read, so the text only says not to assume it.
• Weightmans describes a 28-day notice period and a 1st-of-the-month start for NHS contract variations. This is from one law firm only, so it was left out. Lloyds mentions a possible change-of-control application up to three months before completion. It was also left out as unclear.
• The mistakes list comes from law firm and bank articles dated 2019 to 2025, as agreed with Dr Manav. The Capsticks article is from 2019, so check it is still current.
• "Who it suits" and "who it is probably not for" reflect Dr Manav's experience, not an official source.
• Foreign ownership and the immigration side are not covered beyond a pointer to the self-sponsorship article. The GDC page does not address nationality.
• The page links to the self-sponsorship article need the final site address. Articles 10 to 13 are mentioned as future pieces, so remove that line if they are not ready.