Where you are
Three reasons to value a dental practice, three different services
A dental practice valuation is not a single service. The methodology is the same, but the price, the process, and what you actually receive differ depending on why you need it. Most owners and buyers we work with fall into one of three tracks.
I am thinking about selling
Free indicative valuation for any seller, no strings attached. If you go on to engage Samera as your sales agent, the same valuation is taken to market under our 2.5% sales commission. Standalone written valuations available separately if you need a formal document for a partner, lender or planning decision.
I am buying a practice
£1,500 + VAT for an independent assessment of a practice you have identified. Optional Challenge the Valuation upgrade if the asking price looks too high and you want us to negotiate it down.
I need a formal written valuation
Divorce, probate, partnership split, expert witness work. Written valuations to a standard that holds up in court, with full methodology documented.
Why this matters
Most dental practice sales lose money to a bad valuation, not a bad sale
The single biggest cause of money left on the table at sale is not a slow buyer, a difficult landlord or a fee renegotiation. It is the seller accepting a valuation that was wrong from the start.
The dental sector has a long tradition of valuations done on simple turnover multiples – “1.5 times revenue” or “2 times turnover” – which were broadly fine when buyers were independent dentists and deals were small. The market that values practices today is different. Corporate consolidators, regional groups and PE-backed platforms triangulate around EBITDA multiples, NHS contract value, freehold position, associate stability and clinical mix. A valuation built on turnover alone will routinely underprice a profitable mixed practice by £150-300k.
The reverse is also true for buyers. Asking prices on the open market are set by sellers and their agents, both of whom have an incentive to set them high. A buyer with no independent valuation in hand is negotiating without information. The Challenge the Valuation service exists for exactly this reason – it brings independent diligence to the buyer’s side of the table.
What an independent dental valuation gives you, whether you are selling, buying or going through a legal process: an honest number, the methodology behind it, and the confidence to make the next decision with full information.
How we value dental practices
EBITDA multiples, turnover multiples, and the things that move them
We value dental practices using two parallel methods and take the higher of the two: 1.5x to 2.5x turnover, or 4x to 8x EBITDA. The actual multiple depends on a number of factors that vary by practice.
Six things that move the multiple
NHS contract value and stability
A practice with a secure NHS contract trades at a higher multiple than one with patient revenue alone, because NHS revenue is contracted and predictable. A practice with a contract under review, or one in NHS clawback, trades lower.
Private mix percentage
Most modern buyers want a private mix above 40-50%. Below that, the multiple compresses. Above 70-80%, the multiple expands but the buyer pool narrows.
Associate stability
Stable, long-tenured associates with their own patient base are an asset. High associate churn or a single dominant associate (with the risk they leave with their list) is a discount.
Freehold vs leasehold
A freehold practice with the property included trades on a higher overall enterprise value, though the multiple on the goodwill side is similar. A short remaining lease (under 10 years) discounts the goodwill value heavily.
EBITDA quality and addbacks
Reported EBITDA vs adjusted EBITDA after stripping out owner-specific costs (owner salary, family on payroll, owner property income) is what a buyer pays for. Defendable addbacks lift value. Soft or speculative addbacks lose it on diligence.
Operational readiness
CQC standing, clinical governance, equipment age, systems, staff contracts, lease terms, NHS Performance documentation. Buyers diligence everything. The cleaner the operational profile, the higher the multiple and the lower the negotiated reduction at completion.
Indicative practice valuation calculator
Enter your turnover, EBITDA and a few practice details. The calculator returns a range using both methods and takes the higher. This is an indicative starting point – a proper valuation will then weight the factors above.
Interactive calculator: developer to embed (same widget as the one on /samera-calculators/).
This calculator is for guidance only. A full Samera valuation reviews your accounts, NHS position, contracts, freehold position and operational profile, and produces a written valuation with methodology that holds up in negotiation or in court.
Selling track
Free indicative valuations for any seller, no obligation
If you are thinking about selling, a Samera valuation is the natural starting point – and we provide it free, with no obligation to engage us further. You do not need to commit to Samera as your sales agent to get an honest read on what your practice is worth today.
The valuation we produce is real work. Independent methodology, adjusted EBITDA, NHS contract review, comparable transactions. If you choose to engage Samera as your sales agent afterwards, the same valuation is the one we take to market – same number, same methodology, presented to buyers in the Information Memorandum, defended through diligence. A valuation that is built to sell, not built to flatter.
If you choose to use a different sales agent, or not to sell at all, that is your decision – the valuation is yours to use however you choose.
What the seller valuation includes
- Independent valuation using both turnover and EBITDA methods, taking the higher
- Adjusted EBITDA analysis with defended addbacks (owner salary, family payroll, owner-specific costs)
- NHS contract review and risk-weighting
- Private mix and patient list analysis
- Freehold position assessment if applicable
- Indicative value range and target asking price
- Written summary of methodology
What it costs
- Free for the indicative valuation, regardless of whether you go on to engage Samera as sales agent
- 2.5% commission capped at £50,000, payable only if you engage us as sales agent and only on completion of a sale
- No fee if the practice does not sell or if you choose another route
If you decide to engage Samera as your sales agent, the same team takes the practice to market through our buyer network using the same valuation. See Sell a Dental Practice for the full sales process.
The free indicative valuation is an honest market read. If you need a formal written valuation report for a legal context – divorce, probate, partnership split, lender requirement, succession planning – that is a deeper deliverable, priced separately. See Legal and formal valuations below.
Book a free valuation call with Arun
Buying track
Independent buyer valuations – £1,500 + VAT
Sellers and selling agents both have an interest in setting the asking price high. As a buyer, you are negotiating without information unless you have an independent valuation in hand. The Samera buyer valuation gives you that information.
We review the practice you are considering – financials, sales particulars, NHS contract, associate position, freehold or lease, operational profile – and produce a written assessment of what the practice is actually worth. You can use this in two ways: to walk away from a bad deal before spending more on solicitors and diligence, or to negotiate the price down with an independent number to back you up.
What the buyer valuation includes
- Independent assessment of the practice you have identified
- Adjusted EBITDA analysis (the number a buyer actually pays for, not the headline)
- Review of sales particulars vs the underlying financials
- NHS contract value and risk assessment
- Private mix, patient list quality, associate stability
- Freehold or lease analysis
- Written valuation with methodology
- 60-minute debrief call to discuss findings
What it costs: £1,500 + VAT, fixed price. Payable on instruction, deliverable within 10 working days of receiving the sales particulars and seller financials.
If the valuation confirms the asking price is fair, you proceed with confidence. If the valuation shows the asking price is too high, you have two options: walk away, or upgrade to our Challenge the Valuation negotiation service to have us negotiate the price down on your behalf.
Book a buyer valuation
Buyer upgrade
Challenge the Valuation – we negotiate the price down on your behalf
If the buyer valuation shows the asking price is too high and you want to push back, Challenge the Valuation is the upgrade. We do not just tell you the asking price is wrong – we take the negotiation to the seller and their agent directly, with the independent valuation as the backing evidence.
Who this is for
- Buyers who feel the asking price is too high but lack time, expertise or appetite to negotiate
- Buyers without the financial paperwork or sector knowledge to push back credibly
- Buyers who want the negotiation kept at arm’s length so it does not damage the working relationship after completion
How it works
- Engage Challenge the Valuation after the buyer valuation. The £1,500 + VAT upfront fee gives you immediate access to our valuation expertise and the negotiation team.
- We negotiate directly with the seller and their agent on your behalf, using the independent valuation as the evidence base. We handle the conversations, the counter-offers and the back-and-forth.
- You approve any agreed reduction before it is locked in. The final negotiated price is yours to accept or walk away from.
- On completion of the purchase at a reduced price, a success fee of 10% of the savings is due. Aligned interests – our success depends on yours.
What it costs
- Upfront fee: £1,500 + VAT, paid on engagement
- Success fee: 10% of any savings off the asking price, paid only on completion of the purchase
- If no savings are achieved, you pay only the upfront £1,500 + VAT
Worked example
You identify a practice with an asking price of £2.0 million. Our buyer valuation puts the fair value at £1.8 million. You engage Challenge the Valuation. After negotiation, the seller accepts £1.8 million – a £200,000 saving.
- Upfront fee: £1,500 + VAT
- Success fee: 10% of £200,000 = £20,000 + VAT
- Total fee: £21,500 + VAT for £200,000 of savings
The fee model means our interests are aligned with yours. We do not earn the success fee unless we save you money.
Book a call with Arun about Challenge the Valuation
Legal track
Written valuations for divorce, probate and partnership matters
When a dental practice needs to be valued for a legal purpose, the valuation has to hold up to scrutiny. Solicitors review it. The other side’s accountant reviews it. Sometimes a judge reviews it. The methodology matters, the documentation matters, and the credibility of the person signing it matters.
Samera provides written valuations for the legal contexts dental practice owners encounter most often:
Divorce proceedings. A dental practice held by one or both spouses needs to be valued as a marital asset. We provide a written valuation with full methodology, defended adjustments, and expert witness availability if the matter goes to a contested hearing.
Probate and estate. When a practice forms part of an estate, HMRC needs a valuation for inheritance tax purposes. The valuation needs to be defensible against HMRC challenge.
Partnership splits. When partners separate, the value of the practice needs to be agreed for a buyout or sale. Independent valuations from a respected third party reduce the conflict and accelerate the resolution.
Buyout of an outgoing partner or associate. Same principle – an independent number agreed in advance avoids disputes later.
Lender requirements. A bank or alternative lender may require an independent valuation before advancing finance, particularly for refinancing or capital release transactions.
What the formal valuation includes
- Full written valuation report (15-25 pages typical)
- Methodology, adjustments and assumptions documented
- Comparable transaction data where applicable
- Signature by Arun Mehra FCA, ICAEW Fellow and BDA Expert Witness
- Expert witness availability for contested matters (priced separately)
- 60-minute debrief call to walk through findings
What it costs
- From £1,500 + VAT for a standard written valuation (placeholder pending Q1 team confirmation)
- Complex valuations involving partnership disputes, forensic accounting or expert witness testimony are quoted separately based on scope
- Expert witness work (court appearances, written rebuttals, mediation support) is quoted hourly
Book a call about a formal valuation
How it works
From first call to written valuation
The process is broadly the same across all three tracks. The main difference is who pays, how much, and what happens after the valuation is delivered.
- Free 30-minute scoping call with Arun. Establish which track you are on (seller, buyer or legal), confirm scope, agree fee structure and timeline. No obligation.
- Document review. We review your accounts (or the target practice’s accounts), sales particulars where available, NHS contract documents, leases and any other relevant paperwork. Typical turnaround from receipt of documents: 10 working days.
- Written valuation delivered. You receive a written valuation report with methodology, adjustments, multiples used and the final value range. Sellers receive an indicative range and a target asking price. Buyers receive a fair value range and a recommended offer position. Legal valuations receive the formal report.
- Debrief call. 60-minute call to walk through the report, answer questions and agree next steps – whether that is going to market (sellers), engaging Challenge the Valuation (buyers) or providing the report to your solicitor (legal).
Book a free 30-minute scoping call
What clients say
Client reviews from real dental practice transactions
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. I’m so grateful to Arun and Team Samera.
Qazafi Khalil – 5 Stars
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
Who values your practice
Two senior people on every valuation
CEO and Founder
FCA · ICAEW Fellow · BDA Expert Witness · Former VP, Bank of America · Co-founder, The Neem Tree Dental Group
Arun leads every valuation engagement and signs the final report. 25+ years in UK dentistry, dental practice owner since 2008, and one of very few UK valuers with both the institutional finance background (PwC, Credit Suisse, Bank of America) and the lived experience of buying, building, valuing and selling dental practices. Expert witness for the BDA on contested matters.
Accountancy Senior Manager
ACCA · CTA pathway · MBA
Natasha leads the financial analysis underpinning every valuation – adjusted EBITDA, defended addbacks, NHS contract review, comparable transaction analysis. The work that makes the headline number defensible.
Questions buyers and sellers ask
Dental practice valuations – the honest answers
How long does a valuation take?
From receipt of documents (accounts, sales particulars, NHS contract, lease), 10 working days for a standard valuation. Complex or contested valuations can take 3-4 weeks. We agree the timeline upfront in the scoping call.
Will the valuation hold up against a corporate buyer’s diligence team?
Yes. Adjusted EBITDA, defendable addbacks, NHS contract review and comparable transactions are exactly what corporate diligence teams look at. The methodology we use is the methodology they use. Sellers who go to market with a Samera valuation in hand are better prepared for diligence than sellers who do not.
Why is the seller valuation free?
Because the seller market is what we are built for. We have been selling dental practices since 2002, and the indicative valuation is the front door of that relationship – whether or not you go on to engage us. We are confident in our methodology, and we are confident that practices we agree to take to market will sell. If you engage us as your sales agent, our 2.5% commission (capped at £50,000) is paid only on completion – we take the risk on the front end because we know the practices we put on the market. If you do not engage us, the valuation is still yours. That is the offer.
Why is the buyer valuation paid?
A buyer engaging us for an independent valuation is asking us to assess a practice they have identified, often before they have committed to buying it. We do the same level of work as on the seller side – financial review, NHS, lease, comparable transactions – but we do not have the commission income on the other side to absorb the cost. The £1,500 + VAT fixed fee covers the work.
On Challenge the Valuation, is the 10% success fee on top of the £1,500 upfront?
Yes, additive. £1,500 upfront on engagement, 10% of any savings achieved on completion of the purchase. Worked example: asking price £2.0m, agreed price £1.8m, savings £200k. Total fee = £1,500 upfront + £20,000 success fee = £21,500 for £200k of savings. If no savings are achieved, no success fee is due – you have only paid the £1,500 upfront fee.
Can I get a valuation done without engaging Samera for anything else afterwards?
Yes. The free indicative valuation is available to any seller, with no obligation – no requirement to engage us as sales agent, no upfront fee. If you need a formal written valuation report – the kind a solicitor, a court, HMRC or a lender will want to see for divorce, probate, partnership splits, lender requirements or planning purposes – that is a deeper deliverable, priced separately from £1,500 + VAT depending on complexity. The valuation report is yours to use however you choose – including taking it to a different sales agent or solicitor.
I have already had a valuation from a sales agent. Why would I commission another one?
Sales agent valuations are often optimistic – the agent’s incentive is to win the listing, which makes high valuations attractive in the pitch. An independent Samera valuation gives you a second opinion grounded in defendable methodology. Many of our standalone seller clients have found their original valuation was either £100-300k too high (meaning the practice would not have sold at that price) or, less often, £50-100k too low (meaning they were about to leave money on the table).
Do you provide expert witness work for contested valuations?
Yes. Arun is a BDA Expert Witness and has signed written valuations that have been tested in court and in mediation. Expert witness work (court appearances, written rebuttals of opposing valuations, mediation support) is quoted hourly and is separate from the underlying valuation report fee.
What if I disagree with the valuation you produce?
The 60-minute debrief call exists for this reason. We walk through the methodology, the adjustments, the multiples used, and the assumptions. If you disagree with a specific assumption or addback, we will rework it and explain the impact on the headline number. The valuation is an evidenced opinion, not a calculation – reasonable people can disagree on the adjustments, and we explain the reasoning at every step.
Book a free 30-minute valuation scoping call with Arun
A free, no-obligation 30-minute call. Honest read on which valuation track you are on (seller, buyer or legal), what the work involves, and what the timeline and fee structure look like for your situation.
Related services
Services that pair with a valuation
Sell a Dental Practice
The sales agent service that follows on from a seller valuation. Free valuation included. 2.5% on completion.
Buy a Dental Practice
The buyer journey, of which the £1,500 buyer valuation is the second step (after finding the practice).
Exit Planning
For sellers who want to actively lift the valuation before going to market. 18-month structured prep programme.
Grow a Dental Practice
For owners 3+ years from exit, Samera Growth Advisory lifts EBITDA over time, which lifts the valuation when the time comes.
Dental Accountants
The accountancy work underneath every valuation. Specialist dental finance practice.
Dental Practice Mergers
When a valuation feeds into a merger transaction rather than a sale, the methodology differs and the work continues.
Related reading
Guides on dental practice valuations
The value of a dental practice
The canonical methodology article. EBITDA multiples, turnover multiples, what drives them.
Is that practice really worth it? Why you need a practice valuation before buying
The buyer case for an independent valuation.
The DSO Exit 2030 Playbook – how your valuation is really decided
The corporate buyer view of how valuations are constructed.
Valuations are up, but not all deals are equal – here’s how to exit smart
Market conditions context for owners considering when to sell.