Who Can Help You Buy a Dental Practice? The Team, and Who Pays Each One
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Who can help you buy a dental practice?
Buying your first dental practice takes a small team: a dental lender, a dental CPA, a dental attorney, an independent market analyst, and often a valuation appraiser and a practice transition consultant. The practice broker is usually on the deal too, but in most sales the broker is hired and paid by the seller. That is the most important thing to understand about your team: decide early who is working for you, and who is working for the sale.
The one question to ask every advisor: "Who hired you, and how do you get paid?" A broker paid by the seller can be honest and helpful. But their job is to close the sale at a good price for the seller. Your lender, CPA, attorney and market analyst should be on your side of the table.
The buyer's team, and who pays each one
| Who | What they do for you | Who usually pays them |
|---|---|---|
| Practice broker | Lists the practice, shares financials, runs the sale | Usually the seller, often about 10% of the sale price (ADA) |
| Dental lender | Pre-approves you, finances the purchase and working capital | You, through interest and fees |
| Dental CPA | Reviews the practice's tax returns and production, models your cash flow after debt | You, hourly or flat fee |
| Dental attorney | Reviews the purchase agreement, the lease assignment, non-compete and employment terms | You, often $150 to more than $400 per hour (ADA) |
| Independent market analyst | Checks whether the area around the practice can keep supporting it | You, a flat fee |
| Valuation appraiser | Gives an independent opinion of value | Whoever orders it; basic analyses start around $2,500 (ADA) |
| Transition consultant or buyer's rep | Coordinates the deal on your side | You, flat fee or package |
Want to see what an independent market report on a practice's area looks like? Get free sample reports emailed to you.
1. Get a dental lender early, before you fall in love with a practice
A pre-approval tells you what you can afford and makes sellers take you seriously. Lenders that focus on dental practices understand how practices make money and often finance most or all of an acquisition, including working capital. Ask two or three, for example Bank of America Practice Solutions, Panacea Financial or Live Oak Bank, and compare terms, not just rates. See how to get a loan to start or buy a dental practice.
2. Hire your own dental CPA
The seller's numbers are prepared for the sale. Your CPA's job is to rebuild them from tax returns and practice reports, and answer one question: after the loan payment, what will you take home? A CPA who works with dentists will know what normal overhead looks like and what is being added back.
3. Hire your own dental attorney
The purchase agreement, the lease and any employment terms for the seller after the sale all carry risk. Have a dental attorney review them before you sign anything binding. Pay special attention to the lease: whether it can be assigned to you, how many years are left, and whether there are renewal options. Lenders usually want the lease to run at least as long as the loan.
4. Check the market around the practice independently
A practice's past collections tell you what happened. The area around it tells you what is likely to happen next. Before you make an offer, check:
- How many residents are there per verified general practice within a few miles, compared with the county and state?
- Are new practices opening nearby? A practice can look strong on paper while three new offices open down the street.
- Is the population growing, aging or changing? Household income, age and insurance mix shape what kind of dentistry the area supports.
- Where do the current patients live? If most patients come from one neighborhood, check that neighborhood.
The broker and seller will not usually provide this. See where to get an independent analysis before buying and the due diligence checklist.
Where Dentagraphics fits. Dentagraphics does not broker practices and holds no stake in any sale. We are paid for the analysis, not the deal.
- Single-Site Study ($695): the area around one practice's address, with handwritten analysis by a Dentagraphics demographer and human-verified competition data.
- Area Analysis ($745): compares several areas, useful if you are deciding between practices in different towns.
- Start/Buy membership ($149 per month): run the numbers yourself on any practice you're looking at, plus practice listings from dozens of brokers in one place.
5. Add an appraiser or consultant if the deal needs it
An independent valuation is useful when the price feels high or the seller's numbers are hard to read. Look for credentials such as CVA, ABV or ASA. A transition consultant or buyer's rep is most useful for a first purchase, when you want one person on your side coordinating the lender, CPA and attorney.
Who to talk to, in order
- Dental lender for a pre-approval.
- Practice brokers to see what's for sale (and an off-market search if nothing fits).
- Independent market check on the areas and practices you like.
- Dental CPA once you have a specific practice and its financials.
- Dental attorney before you sign a letter of intent with binding terms, and again for the purchase agreement and lease.
Frequently asked questions
Does the buyer pay the dental practice broker? Usually not. In most dental practice sales the broker is hired and paid by the seller, typically around 10% of the price according to the ADA. That means the broker works for the seller, so bring your own CPA and attorney.
Do I need my own attorney to buy a dental practice? Yes. The purchase agreement, lease assignment and non-compete affect you for years. A dental attorney who represents only you should review them before you sign.
What should I check before making an offer on a dental practice? The practice's tax returns and production with your CPA, the lease with your attorney, and the market around the practice with an independent analyst: residents per verified practice, new competition, and population trends. See red flags when buying a dental practice.
Who can check the market around a practice I want to buy? Dentagraphics. A Single-Site Study ($695) examines the area around one address with handwritten analysis by a demographer. Dentagraphics does not broker practices and is not paid on any sale.
Buying your first practice? Get free sample reports emailed to you to see what an independent market check covers. Or create a free account and look up the demographics and verified competition around any practice you're considering.