What this is
We build your dental group a finance function that earns the valuation it deserves
Financial infrastructure is a build. We take over the accounting across your group and construct the reporting that makes your numbers trustworthy: clean monthly accounts for every site and the group as a whole, an EBITDA figure you can defend line by line, cash flow you can forecast, and the reporting packs a lender or buyer expects to see.
It exists because a strong dental group can still get a weak offer. A buyer or lender who cannot quickly verify your performance discounts what they cannot trust – and that discount comes straight off your valuation or your borrowing terms. We close that gap before a sale or a raise forces the issue, so the figures in the data room match the quality of the business behind them.
This is the build, one of Samera’s growth services, and it helps to be clear how it sits next to the others. Financial Infrastructure is the systems – a one-off build that leaves you owning a finance function you can trust. Growth Advisory is the relationship – an ongoing monthly retainer where the team acts as your financial leadership. Exit Planning is the event – an 18-month programme to get one practice ready to sell. They work well together, and many groups build the infrastructure first then keep Advisory running on top of it, but they are three different jobs. This page is the first one.
What we deliver
Five areas of financial infrastructure that matter to lenders and buyers
01 – Standardised group finance foundations
A group-wide chart of accounts, tracking categories, monthly close routines and bookkeeping standards applied consistently across every entity and site. Without this, management accounts from different practices cannot be consolidated meaningfully and EBITDA cannot be normalised reliably.
- Group-wide chart of accounts designed for dental group reporting
- Tracking categories that allow site-level and clinician-level analysis
- Monthly close process that produces figures within five working days
- Xero configuration across all entities to a consistent standard
02 – Fast, accurate management accounts
Site-level P&L, group consolidated P&L, balance sheet, budget vs actual, cash flow – delivered monthly, not quarterly. Numbers a lender or investor can trust and that arrive quickly enough to still be relevant.
- Site-level profit and loss – revenue, direct costs, gross margin, EBITDA per site
- Group consolidated P&L eliminating inter-company transactions
- Balance sheet reconciled to bank and cash each month
- Budget vs actual with variance commentary
- KPIs that matter to a dental group: revenue per UDA, profit per clinician, chair utilisation, associate pay as a percentage of revenue
03 – EBITDA normalisation that withstands diligence
A buyer pays a multiple of EBITDA. The difference between a poorly normalised number and a properly evidenced one can be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds at exit. We build a normalisation framework, evidence packs for every add-back, and a clear bridge from statutory accounts to management accounts to the EBITDA figure you present.
- Normalisation framework applied consistently across the group
- Evidence packs for every add-back a buyer or investor will question
- Reconciliation bridge from statutory to management accounts to EBITDA
- Correct treatment of owner drawings, one-off costs and related-party charges
- Associate pay, payroll and lab costs allocated correctly across sites
04 – Cash flow, forecasting and decision-grade insight
Accurate cash flow visibility across the group – what happened last month and what is coming in the next thirteen weeks. Scenario modelling for acquisitions, refinancing and restructuring. The working capital visibility that prevents surprises.
- 13-week rolling cash flow forecast updated weekly
- Operating budget for the group with site-level detail
- Scenario modelling for acquisitions, new sites, staffing changes
- Cash flow stress testing for covenant compliance and debt servicing
05 – Capital strategy built for growth
Debt capacity analysis, lender and investor reporting packs built to the standard that commercial banks and PE firms expect, and acquisition funding planning that aligns the financial model with the lending application.
- Debt capacity analysis based on actual group EBITDA and cash generation
- Lender reporting packs formatted for specialist dental lenders
- Investor reporting for PE sponsors or minority shareholders
- Acquisition funding planning – financial model and lender pack aligned
- Covenant monitoring and early warning when ratios are under pressure
What you get
The deliverables you end up owning
This is a build, so it produces things you keep. By the end of the engagement your group owns a defined set of assets – the finance function itself, not a folder of advice:
- A group finance blueprint – the processes, policies and reporting cadence written down
- A standardised reporting pack covering every site and the consolidated group
- An EBITDA definition and normalisation framework with the add-back rules set
- A month-end close checklist and timetable
- A rolling forecast model and the cash flow forecasting rhythm to run it
- A diligence-ready finance folder structure with evidence packs for add-backs
- Executive dashboard requirements – what to track and how performance is attributed
The test
Can your group answer these questions clearly?
These are the questions a lender, PE firm or strategic buyer will ask when they examine your group. Any that cannot be answered quickly and with evidence is where the infrastructure work needs to start.
Diligence questions your group must be able to answer
- Is EBITDA consistent month to month – or smoothed by timing?
- Can you reconcile management accounts to cash, bank and balance sheet?
- Can you split performance by site, clinician and treatment type?
- Are associate pay, payroll and lab costs allocated correctly?
- Can you defend your add-backs with evidence?
- Is there a clear bridge from statutory accounts to management EBITDA?
Who this is for
Three types of dental group that need this work
Founder-led groups preparing for investment or exit
Groups that have grown organically but whose financial reporting has not kept pace. The business is strong – the numbers just do not show it clearly enough yet.
PE-backed groups integrating acquisitions
Groups under institutional ownership that need to integrate acquired practices quickly, produce investor-grade reporting and build toward a secondary exit at a strong multiple.
International DSOs entering the UK market
Overseas dental groups establishing UK operations who need compliant, investor-grade financial infrastructure from the ground up, with local expertise in UK dental finance.
How it works
Four stages from where you are to where you need to be
1. Diagnose the truth
We start by understanding the current state of your financial reporting – what exists, what is reliable, and where the gaps are. Most groups are further from investor-grade than they expect. Knowing the gap precisely is where the work begins.
2. Build the foundations
Setting up the chart of accounts, tracking categories, Xero configuration and monthly close process across every entity. This typically takes two to three months and produces the first reliable set of management accounts at the end of it.
3. Produce investor-grade reporting
Once the foundations are in place, we build the EBITDA normalisation framework, the evidence packs for add-backs, the consolidated group reporting pack and the cash flow forecasting model – the output that lenders and investors will examine.
4. Drive performance and capital readiness
Ongoing monthly reporting, budget vs actual, KPI tracking and capital strategy as the group grows. The infrastructure generates the insight that drives better decisions and keeps the group ready for its next capital event.
Delivery model
Senior UK oversight, scalable execution
The work is led and signed off in the UK, with execution scaled through our UK and India operations. For a group adding sites, that combination is the point: senior oversight on the numbers that matter, plus the capacity to keep monthly reporting consistent and on time as the entity count grows.
- Consistent monthly reporting at scale, however many sites you run
- Faster turnaround without dropping quality
- A team that expands as your group does
- A structure built for multi-entity, multi-site complexity
Why Samera
Dental-specific finance, run by people who own dental practices
This is not generic finance consulting. It is dental-specific financial infrastructure built for scale, value and exit readiness – and it is built by a team that runs its own dental group and has sat on the institutional side of the table.
We own dental groups ourselves
Samera owns and runs The Neem Tree Dental Group. The EBITDA decisions, the add-back arguments, the lender conversations – we have had them on our own balance sheet, not just advised on someone else’s.
Institutional financial leadership
Arun Mehra FCA leads the work. Fellow of the ICAEW, former Vice President at Bank of America, with senior prior roles at PwC and Credit Suisse. The standard we build your numbers to is the standard institutional buyers and lenders apply, because that is the world the framework comes from.
Client reviews
What practice owners say
Been with Samera since 2008 when we bought our first dental practice, their knowledge and expertise is second to none not least because they also own their own dental practices, putting them in a unique position in terms of their knowledge and advice for the Dental Industry. Whether you’re setting up from scratch or acquiring an existing practice, Samera have been there to offer advice on raising finance, staff and team issues, tax knowledge, leadership and having a strong vision, marketing, getting into purchasing groups and also purchasing equipment.
Saijel Kachhala – 5 Stars
I have nothing but praise for Samera. I had a dental sale which lasted 2 years due to COVID. An extremely stressful experience. Throughout the whole process Samera, and in particular Arun, were totally amazing. There were a few occasions that the sale almost never went ahead. Samera were absolutely pivotal in ensuring that things progressed till completion.
Qazafi Khalil – 5 Stars
Huge thanks to Natasha, Aditi, Arun, Karyn, and the entire Samera team for their outstanding support and guidance. Their professionalism, responsiveness, and deep expertise is a great support for our business. I truly felt supported every step of the way. Highly recommended!
Rajvansh Juneja – 5 Stars
Who you’ll work with
Speak to the financial infrastructure team
Book a free, no-obligation call directly with the team member whose work matches what you need.
CEO
- DSOs and Large Dental Groups Dedicated Finance and Accounting Functions
- Dental Accountancy and Tax for Dental Groups and DSOs
- Samera Global – Outsourcing + Offshoring
- Samera AI – Automation of Financial Systems
Accountancy Senior Manager
- Finance Director Services
- Dental Accountancy and Tax for Practice Owner
- Samera AI – Automation of Financial Systems
Or send us a message
If you’d prefer to send us your details rather than book a call, fill in the form below and our team will be in touch as soon as possible.
- Phone: (+44) 20 7100 8788
- WhatsApp: Message us on WhatsApp
Related services
Other services that pair with financial infrastructure
OVERVIEW – Grow a dental practice
The growth services hub – Financial Infrastructure is one of four products inside it.
Samera Growth Advisory
The four-tier strategic retainer that often runs alongside Financial Infrastructure.
Dental practice valuations
What the group is worth today, and what the financial infrastructure work needs to deliver to get the next valuation up.
Exit planning and M&A advisory
The structured 18-month programme for owners preparing to sell or take on outside capital.
Frequently asked questions
Financial infrastructure FAQs
What is financial infrastructure for a dental group?
Financial infrastructure is the set of systems, processes and reporting frameworks that allow a dental group to track performance accurately, produce numbers that hold up under scrutiny, and make capital decisions with confidence. It includes the chart of accounts, management reporting, EBITDA normalisation framework and cash flow visibility. Most growing groups have the ambition right. The infrastructure is what makes that ambition legible to a lender, investor or buyer.
How is this different from Growth Advisory and Exit Planning?
Financial Infrastructure is a build – we construct your group’s accounting and reporting so the numbers are trustworthy, and you end up owning that finance function. Growth Advisory is an ongoing monthly retainer where the team provides financial leadership and advice as you run and grow. Exit Planning is a time-boxed 18-month programme to get one practice ready to sell. Infrastructure is the systems, Advisory is the relationship, Exit Planning is the event. They work well together: many groups build the infrastructure first, keep Advisory running on top, and bring in Exit Planning when a sale comes into view.
Why do dental groups lose value when they try to sell or raise investment?
Most DSOs lose value not because the underlying business is poor but because the numbers do not hold up when a lender or buyer examines them closely. Common problems include EBITDA that cannot be reconciled to management accounts, add-backs without evidence, site-level performance that cannot be separated from group performance, and cash flow forecasts not built on real data. A buyer who cannot trust the numbers will reduce their offer or walk away.
What is EBITDA normalisation and why does it matter?
EBITDA normalisation adjusts reported earnings to reflect the true underlying performance of the group – removing one-off costs, correctly categorising owner drawings, and applying consistent treatment of add-backs. A buyer pays a multiple of EBITDA, so the difference between a poorly normalised number and a properly evidenced one can be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds at exit. Every add-back needs an evidence pack that a buyer’s adviser cannot pick apart in diligence.
How long does it take to build proper financial infrastructure?
For most dental groups, the foundation work takes three to six months – setting up the chart of accounts, cleaning historical data, establishing the monthly close process and producing the first reliable set of management accounts. Investor-grade reporting typically follows within six to twelve months. Groups that leave this until they are in active sale discussions rarely have enough time to do it properly.
Do I need to move my accounting to Samera to use this service?
Yes. The financial infrastructure work requires us to control the accounting and bookkeeping across your group. We cannot build reliable reporting on numbers prepared elsewhere – the systems need to be set up correctly from the start. See our accounts for dental groups page for detail on what that relationship looks like.
Find out where your group’s financial infrastructure stands
Book a call with Arun. We will look at your current reporting, identify the gaps, and tell you honestly what it would take to get the numbers to a standard that holds up under scrutiny.