Merging two practices
A merger is its own kind of deal
A dental practice merger is two existing practices combining into one business. It is not the same as buying a practice, where one owner acquires another and the seller walks away, and it is not the same as selling, where you exit and hand over the keys. In a merger, both sets of owners usually stay involved, and the hard questions are about how the two businesses are valued against each other, how ownership of the combined business is split, and how the tax is handled.
This page sits in the buy a dental practice cluster because a merger is, at its core, an acquisition with a more complicated cap table. If you want to acquire a practice outright, the buying journey is the better starting point. If you want to exit, see selling a dental practice. A merger is the route in between, and it has its own mechanics.
Is this the right route
When a merger beats a straight buy or sell
A merger tends to make sense in a few situations. Two nearby owners who are both a few years from slowing down may combine to build something larger and more saleable than either practice alone. An owner who wants to keep working but not keep running everything may merge into a larger group and take a smaller stake in a bigger business. Two associates or partners may formalise a shared practice into a single combined entity.
The common thread is that nobody is fully leaving on day one. If one party clearly wants out, a sale is usually cleaner and a merger overcomplicates it. We will tell you honestly which route fits, even when that means pointing you at the sell or buy journey instead of a merger.
What we do
The four things that make or break a merger
A merger lives or dies on four questions, and they are the ones we work on with you.
Relative valuation. Not just what each practice is worth, but what each is worth relative to the other, because that ratio sets the ownership split of the combined business. This builds on the same approach as our practice valuations work, applied to both sides at once.
Structure and consideration. Share-for-share, cash, earn-out, or a mix. How each owner ends up holding their stake in the combined business, and what that means if someone wants to exit later.
Tax. Merging two businesses has capital gains, stamp duty and incorporation consequences that differ from a straight purchase. Getting the structure right at the outset is far cheaper than fixing it afterwards. Our tax planning for dentists team handles this alongside the deal.
Putting the two together. Once the deal completes, two patient lists, two teams and often two sets of systems and accounts have to become one. Our accounts for dental groups service picks this up so the combined business runs cleanly from day one.
We do not re-run the due diligence or finance work that already has a home elsewhere. Where a merger needs acquisition finance, that runs through our finance brokerage; where it needs the numbers verified, that is financial due diligence.
Your team
The people who run your merger
Business Development – Finance and Accountancy Services
Uros is the first point of contact for practice owners exploring a merger. He works across buying, finance and valuations, and helps you scope the deal, understand how the two practices value against each other, and arrange any finance the merger needs.
CEO and Founder
Arun Mehra FCA leads Samera’s M&A advisory work and takes the lead on group-level mergers and multi-site consolidation. ICAEW Fellow. Co-founder of the Neem Tree Dental Group (Wandsworth and Esher). 25+ years specialising in UK dental practice finance. For owners merging at group scale, Arun is the lead.
For ongoing consolidation strategy across a growing group, rather than a single merger transaction, see Strategic / DSO advisory at Tier 4 of Samera Growth Advisory.
Common questions
Dental practice mergers – common questions
Is a merger the same as buying a practice?
No. In a purchase, one owner acquires another and the seller exits. In a merger, both sets of owners usually stay involved and hold a stake in the combined business. The valuation and structure work differently as a result. If you want to acquire outright, start with buying a dental practice.
How is the ownership split decided?
It comes from the relative valuation of the two practices. If one practice is worth twice the other, that sets the starting point for the split, before adjustments for debt, working capital and what each owner brings to the combined business.
What about tax?
Merging two businesses has capital gains, stamp duty and incorporation consequences that a straight purchase does not. The right structure depends on how each practice is currently held. We work this through with you before anything is signed.
Can you arrange finance for a merger?
Yes, where the deal needs it, through our in-house finance brokerage. We are FCA authorised and whole-of-market, with no tie to any lender.
What if I want to merge several practices into a group?
That is group-level consolidation, which Arun leads. The transaction work is the same in principle but the tax, structure and timeline are more involved. See also Strategic / DSO advisory for the ongoing strategic side.
Thinking about merging your practice? Start with a conversation.
Tell us what you are weighing up and we will tell you honestly whether a merger is the right route, and what it would take to do it well.
Related services
Other services that pair with a merger
OVERVIEW – Buy a dental practice
The acquisition journey. Mergers sit inside the buy cluster.