Independent buyers remain hungry for Scottish dental businesses
Roughly 17.5% of dental practices in the UK are owned by corporate operators, and an impressive 82.5% are held by a mixture of independent owners and independently owned small groups.
Despite the current highly competitive transactional market, just circa 65 UK practices were acquired by the larger corporates (excluding larger group deals) in 2021, which demonstrates the huge appetite from independent buyer for a range of practices up and down the country.
Independent owners continue to acquire at pace, and this isn’t abating any time soon, as this type of buyer makes up the majority of work that we do at Christie & Co. It also helps that, following the pandemic, banks are very keen to lend to those seeking to acquire dental businesses, and this is of particular benefit to first-time buyers who may have previously found borrowing more challenging.
Looking at Scotland specifically, the market is more competitive still. In the first half of 2022, in Scotland alone, we generated 141 viewings, secured two offers for every three viewings, and received 80 offers with an aggregate offer value of £87 million.
Sold: McCutcheon & Ballantyne, Edinburgh
The sale of majority-private income dental practice, McCutcheon & Ballantyne in Edinburgh, demonstrates the demand we’re seeing throughout the Scottish market. The practice attracted a substantial amount of interest, with over 40 enquires received within the first 48 hours of it launching to market. Out of the eight offers received, the practice sold to independent buyers, Davinder Singh Kalsi and Jonathan Wardell.
By appointing Christie & Co, you can ensure the maximum price is achieved, the transaction is completed on the best possible terms to protect you, and the process is as smooth, professional, and efficient as possible. To find out more about the Scottish dental market, or for a confidential chat about your business options, contact Joel Mannix: joel.mannix@christie.com / +44 7764 241 691
