Dental Practices
Buying a dental practice?
We arrange the finance. You get the keys.
A dental practice is one of the most financeable businesses you can buy. An established patient list, a full appointment book, and a mix of NHS and private income creates exactly the kind of predictable, verifiable revenue that specialist lenders understand and actively want to fund.
The key is going to the right lenders — those who know the difference between UDA income and private fees, understand how associate arrangements work, and can assess the practice premises correctly rather than treating the whole transaction as a generic goodwill purchase.
What lenders look at
NHS practices bring contracted income that lenders can verify directly. Private practices are assessed on patient retention, fee income trends, and the strength of the appointment book. Where the purchase includes the freehold property, the building provides additional security that typically improves both the loan amount available and the terms.
CQC registration, the outgoing principal’s role post-completion, and the transition of associate arrangements all form part of how a lender structures their offer — and getting those details right in the application is what turns an indicative yes into a formal offer.
How we help
We are acquisition finance and loans brokers, not lenders. We package your application, present it to the funders with genuine dental sector appetite, and manage the process from first conversation through to completion.
We also arrange government-backed facilities for dental practice acquisitions — helping buyers access up to £2 million toward their purchase where the criteria are met.
Every dental practice acquisition is different. Tell us about the practice. We will take it from there.
For the wider funding options, explore business acquisition finance.
01 — Who we help
First-time buyers, experienced operators, and everyone in between
First-time buyers
Buying your first practice, stepping out of an associate role, or backing a clinician-led venture.
Existing operators expanding
Adding a second surgery, expanding private treatment, or consolidating a small group.
Family business buyers
Taking over a parent’s practice, buying out a partner, or passing the practice to the next generation.
Investors
Buying a dental practice as a business investment, to lease out for rental income.
02 — The opportunity
What can we help you buy?
We arrange acquisition finance and loans for dental practices across the UK — from associate buyers taking their first practice to experienced principals expanding their group.
NHS dental practices
NHS practices with an established UDA contract provide contracted income that specialist healthcare lenders assess very differently from general business goodwill. Many areas have an active NHS dental acquisition market driven by patient demand and retiring principals. The asking prices for leasehold and freehold dental practices typically range from £100,000 to £2.1m.
Private dental practices
Private practices generate higher revenue per patient and stronger margins than NHS equivalents. Lenders assess private fee income, patient numbers, and the strength of the associate team when structuring the funding. Practices in strong-demand areas often command higher valuations.
Mixed NHS and private practices
Mixed practices combining an NHS contract base with private treatment income have a diversified revenue profile that attracts strong lender appetite. The NHS contract provides income stability while private growth offers upside that buyers can develop post-acquisition.
Associate buyers taking their first practice
Many dental associates are ready to move from employment to ownership. Lenders assess clinical experience, the strength of the patient list, and the transition plan alongside the financial profile of the practice. First-time principal buyers are well served by specialist healthcare lenders.
Expanding to a second or third practice
Experienced principals looking to grow their group find that a strong trading history from their existing practice materially strengthens the funding application for the next acquisition. We structure multi-site dental group funding across the right facilities.
Practices with specialist services
Practices offering implants, orthodontics, facial aesthetics, or sedation generate significantly higher revenue per patient than general dentistry. The specialist income stream is assessed alongside core NHS or private fee income when structuring the finance.
03 — The transaction
What can we finance?
The Business Purchase
Funding to buy a trading business, including goodwill and the business assets.
The Freehold
Funding for the purchase of the premises from which the business operates.
The Leasehold
Funding to buy a business operating from leased premises.
Fixtures, Fittings and Equipment
Where appropriate, funding can also take account of the assets required to operate the business.
Working Capital
Depending on the transaction, we can arrange funding for the initial working capital required after you take ownership.
Every deal is assessed on its own merits — not every element of every purchase will be financeable, and we'll tell you plainly what is and what isn't.
04 — The lender's view
What will lenders look at?
Lenders want to see a professionally prepared funding application. They want to know that the business is viable, that the proposed borrowing is affordable and that their loan can be repaid as agreed.
We use our proven iLendi Six™ method to build a strong funding application around the things lenders need to understand about your purchase.
Read more about the iLendi Six™05 — The funding
How much can you borrow?
Every purchase is different. The amount you can borrow will depend on the business, its trading performance, the purchase price, your circumstances and the structure of the transaction.
For dental practices, lenders will look at the NHS contract value and performance history, private income mix, clinician arrangements after the sale, and the premises.
We arrange funding and work with you to find the financing solution that best fits the purchase.
06 — The completion
The iLendi Approach
Three steps from finding the business to owning it.
01
The Discovery
You have just found the business you want. You tell us all about it.
02
The Finance
You need financing to buy the business; we find the money.
03
The Completion
We stay by your side through to legal work completion and the business is yours.
Common questions
Buying a dental practice — your questions answered
Can I buy a dental practice as a first-time principal?+
Yes. Healthcare lenders regularly fund associates buying their first practice, and clinical experience counts strongly in your favour even without prior business ownership.
How much deposit do I need to buy a dental practice?+
Most dental practice acquisitions are funded with a deposit of around 5% to 10% of the purchase price, though this varies with the strength of the trading figures, whether the deal includes freehold property, and your own experience. Where there is property security or a particularly strong trading history, lenders can sometimes go further.
Can I borrow against goodwill when buying a dental practice?+
Yes. Specialist acquisition lenders will lend against goodwill where the trading history supports it, which is essential for leasehold deals with no bricks-and-mortar security. The application has to be presented so the underwriter can see the sustainable, transferable earnings behind that goodwill.
How long does it take to arrange finance to buy a dental practice?+
Indicative terms are usually available within 48 hours of your enquiry. A full offer typically follows within two to four weeks, with completion driven mainly by valuation and the pace of the legal work on both sides.
Is iLendi Capital a lender or broker?+
iLendi Capital is an acquisition finance and loans broker, not a direct lender. We work with buyers across the UK to prepare their funding applications, introduce them to the lenders most likely to approve them, and manage the deal through to completion. We also specialise in government-backed facilities, helping you secure up to £2m toward your purchase.
Keep exploring
Related businesses we fund
Buyers of dental practices often look at these neighbouring sectors too.
Found your dental practice?
Let's find the finance.
Begin your funding process
Start with a conversation.
Tell us what you want to buy and an experienced funding specialist will call you back same day to discuss how we can help.
Other ways to contact us
Send an email:enquiries@ilendicapital.co.ukCall us: +44 (0)20 3488 8126We'll open WhatsApp with: "Hello iLendi Capital — I'm looking at buying a business and would like to talk."