Whether you’re considering a sale now or simply exploring your long-term options, understanding current market conditions is an important first step.

“The market is very active this year,” begins Debbie Mansell, one of our senior valuers. “We’re seeing a lot of appetite from buyers for a whole breadth of different types of practices, especially more profitable businesses on the market.”

Understanding The Current Dental Practice Sales Market

Current market overviews show that the dental practice sales market performed strongly during the first half of 2026, supported by stabilised interest rates, increased buyer confidence, and continued competition for quality practices. Sellers are currently benefiting from strong viewing, offer, and completion activity, with many able to maximise value while also having greater choice over their preferred buyer and deal structure.

Against this backdrop, private and cosmetic dentistry continue to drive patient spend, NHS goodwill remains valued, and early planning is becoming increasingly important for practice owners considering their next step.

What Is Driving Buyer Confidence In The 2026 Dental Practice Sales Market?

“There is generally a pretty strong appetite within the market,” explains Debbie, when discussing the market’s strong start to 2026.

“This year, we’ve seen increased buyer activity, largely driven by the reduction in interest rates, coupled with a competitive financial market, resulting in a lot more choice and activity from buyers.”

And while changing interest rates have had a notable impact on the market for both buyers and sellers, Debbie notes that renewed buyer confidence is also being driven by other factors, such as stable income being supported by NHS contracts and growing dental plan schemes.

“Buyers will always value dental businesses where there is regular, stable income. NHS contracts have traditionally offered a lot of stability for owners, and those that are making the switch to private are able to replicate this stable income and help reduce perceived risk through dental plan schemes.”

How Private Demand And NHS Stability Are Shaping Practice Values

While private and cosmetic dentistry continue to drive patient spending – which remains attractive to buyers – at the same time, NHS practices are still holding value, especially as performance becomes more stable across the sector.

“Practice value boils down to profitability,” Debbie begins, when discussing how patient demand is impacting current practice values and buyer interest.

“The whole market is active, but when looking at NHS practices specifically, the more profitable the NHS element is, the more desirable the practice is to prospective buyers. There is a strong demand for NHS practices with average or above average UDA values.

“There is always patient demand for NHS access, but we know this has been an issue with many practices converting to private. Those profitable practices that have retained their NHS contract are seeing heightened buyer interest, which in turn is driving their value.”

Why Independent Buyers And Smaller Groups Are Creating More Options For Sellers

Another important development within the market is the increased role that independent buyers and smaller groups are playing, with some larger corporate buyers slowing their activity, Debbie observes.

“This is opening up the market for those independents and smaller groups to seek out opportunities that may have previously been snapped up by larger corporates due to their buying power and funding access.

“But because there are so many buyers in that particular market, it still presents a really competitive environment for vendors, which does mean that practice values are being maintained and – in some cases for more desirable practices – asking prices are being exceeded where there’s a lot of active competition.”

“Of course price is important, but sellers should carefully consider who it is they’re handing their practice to as it’s their legacy.”

– Debbie Mansell, Senior Valuer

However, this isn’t to say that the highest offer is the only factor that should be taken into consideration when choosing your buyer. “There are a number of things that a vendor may want to consider,” Debbie elaborates, noting that Henry Schein Dental Practice Sales tailor their service to suit each vendor’s individual needs.

“Deal structure can be quite key; so whether there’s a tie-in period post-sale, and what that looks like, what the remuneration would be, and any deferred consideration tied to targets or drivers that need consideration. Of course price is important, but sellers will want to carefully consider who it is they’re handing their practice to as it’s their legacy. Are they confident their buyer is going to look after their patients well?

“And then there’s the timing of the transaction to take into account. How long is the buyer likely to take to complete on the deal? What will the transition period look like? Will a handover period need to be established? Maintaining clear communication with your buyer and building a good rapport with them can make for a more confident sale.”

Maximising Value With Early Support

When it comes to getting the best price for your practice, proper preparation is key.

“Having regular valuations helps you to identify any areas where you may be able to increase profitability,”

Debbie explains. “It’s always useful to have a snapshot of where you are today, even if you’re not thinking about selling for several years. But certainly if your time scale for selling is within the next five years, it’s worth reviewing sooner rather than later.”

“We work with you throughout the valuation process and beyond, highlighting opportunities for future growth. Buyers are generally looking for a well-established practice with a stable, profitable base, but also for expansion potential – whether that’s rooms that could be converted into surgeries, extending opening hours, chair occupancy levels, or introducing different specialist disciplines.

“A valuation can also help review your current costs,” Debbie continues.

“It’s very easy to fall into a rhythm of working as you focus on your clinical output. A fresh perspective through the lens of a practice valuation can really help identify things ahead of the sale process where small adjustments can really work to maximise your practice’s value. We value on a basis of adjusted net profit, which means that very small adjustments in cost savings will have a magnified effect on the overall value.”

Next Steps

Whether you are actively considering a sale or simply want to understand what your practice could be worth, we can help you take the next step with confidence.

Supporting dental practice owners throughout the valuation and sales process, we can help you identify opportunities for growth, review current market conditions, and connect you with suitable buyers. With tailored guidance built around your individual goals, we’ll help you plan ahead, protect your practice value, and make informed decisions about the future of your business.

The post Selling Your Dental Practice: Expert Insights On Today’s Market appeared first on Henry Schein Dental Practice Sales.

Here are some things to consider when it comes to buying a practice with an NHS element: 

Banks are very keen to lend on NHS practices
Part of this is due to the stability of the income. As an owner of an NHS dental practice, you know what’s coming into the practice every month and you know how much money you have available to pay your associates and work with. Essentially the NHS contract can cover your overheads, allowing you to offer complementary private dental treatments to drive profitability.   

UDA rates can vary in profitability
Since the NHS contract reform, there is a vast disparity in UDA rates paid to practices; for practices with a minimum UDA value, it is becoming more challenging to maintain profitability whereas practices with higher UDA rates generally remain profitable; careful selection when purchasing a practice is therefore key!

With a higher UDA rate, practice owners can respond to the higher UDA values being commanded by associate dentists, aiding associate retention. It is worth considering that with less providers willing to deliver NHS dentistry, some practices have successfully negotiated increased contract values. 

Staff retention
More associates are looking to work on a part-time basis so delivering a contract with a substantial number of UDAs can be difficult. Associates generally prefer to work with private patients rather than NHS which is driving a competitive market for NHS dentists. This means practices are having to pay substantially more per UDA to associates than even 12-18 months ago. 

Practices in urban areas can be more profitable
A dental practice in an urban area is often less affected by UDA rates than their rural or costal counterparts largely due to a greater availability of associate dentists willing to undertake UDAs. The availability offers an allocation of fewer UDAs across a broader clinical team, allowing Associates to provide a mix of treatments and increase job satisfaction 

Annual uplifts
The annual uplift in NHS contracts can help practices off-set rising costs such as the annual increase in National Minimum Wage for support staff; particularly in the last couple of years where practices have been awarded higher annual uplifts due to the high inflationary pressures. NHS dentistry also provides partial protection against the economic climate.  

Value of NHS Practices
Despite the turbulence associated with NHS dentistry over the last few years, there is a continued premium for NHS dental goodwill, with both independent and corporate buyers still valuing the security an NHS contract brings. 

Register as a buyer  

Whether it’s your first or twentieth practice, our expert consultants are here to guide you through every step of the way of buying a dental practice. 

We offer three buying tiers with a range of benefits: 

1. General Market Buyers – benefit from no membership fees, alerts to new practices to market, buyer-seller viewings arranged and access to Henry Schein Financial Services for practice funding 
2. Priority Tier Buyers – enjoy all the benefits of a general market buyer plus early access to practice particulars, priority viewing slots and opportunity to secure purchase opportunities before they reach the open market 
3. Premier Tier Buyers – enjoy all the benefits of a Priority Tier Buyer plus closed-market buying pool, opportunity to secure larger practices suited to corporate ownership, fast-tracked practice marketing documents, opportunity to purchase practice groups and an account manager offering a network of Henry Schein Services 

Register as a buyer or update your buyer requirements here 

The post Should I consider buying an NHS dental practice?  appeared first on Henry Schein Dental Practice Sales.