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Dental Practice Transition Articles

Buying

13 Reasons Why You Should Be Practicing Rural Dentistry

Friday, September 29th, 2023 by Adam Goldsmith

Big City Lights vs Small City Bites: Why You Should Consider Practicing Rural Dentistry I get it. You strive to be the envy of your dental peers. You want them to be jealous of you for having a swanky, luxurious office in a highly populated, maybe affluent part of a major metro. The thought of […]

Dental Student Loan Repayment Strategies for 2023-2024

Thursday, August 3rd, 2023 by Theodore C. Schumann, II, MBA, MSF, CFP®, AIF®, Partner at DBS Investment Advisers, LLC & DBS Dental Sales

After a delightful 3-year break from payments, as well as interest accrual on student loans, dentists with student debt should prepare to resume making payments again beginning in October 2023. Interest on student loans will resume on September 1, 2023, and payments will be due starting in October. The initial suspension or “freeze” in student […]

Should You Sell the Accounts Receivable in a Dental Practice Transition?

Thursday, February 9th, 2023 by Jed Esposito, MBA, CVA

Should You Sell Your Accounts Receivable? The short answer to this question is yes, it is a good idea to sell your accounts receivable if both parties agree and the price is carefully evaluated. The reasons for transitioning the accounts receivable are related to supporting a seamless transition for the Selling Doctor and the Buying […]

What is EBITDA?

Tuesday, January 10th, 2023 by Christine Elliott

EBITDA – six letters that can make all the difference in your dental practice transition.    Whether you’re thinking of buying or selling a practice or just want to know what your practice is worth, all you need to do is calculate your practice’s EBITDA, and you have the magic key that unlocks all the […]

Understanding Dental Practice Purchase Agreements

Tuesday, January 10th, 2023 by Ryan Brengman, J.D.

Basic Understanding of Key Dental Practice Purchase Agreement Elements Understanding key elements in a dental practice purchase agreement are necessary to ensure a successful dental practice transition. Making the decision to buy or sell a dental practice is a major life event.  Once that decision has been made, navigating legal documents can certainly feel daunting. […]

Is Your Life What You Thought it Would Be as a Dentist?

Monday, December 5th, 2022 by Lisa White

Remember that first time you didn’t have all summer for vacation?  Summers off were no more, which is a hard realization.  #adulting So how can you get the life you want as a dentist? Here’s the ever-so-harsh reality. We spend the vast majority of our waking hours at work, which makes improving your work situation […]

Women in Dentistry: Why Owning a Practice is the Right Path

Monday, December 5th, 2022 by Timothy Giroux, DDS

I have been a dental practice broker over 20 years now after owning a large successful practice for 17 years with my wife and dentist. My daughter graduated from dental school 4 years ago and married a classmate, so the husband-and-wife dentist team structure continues for another generation. The landscape of dentistry has changed dramatically […]

Tactful Tips for Announcing a Dental Practice Transition

Thursday, September 8th, 2022 by Preston Lovelace, JD, MS

Tips for Announcing a Dental Practice Transition Transitioning your dental practice requires balancing the amount of information released against maintaining the confidentiality of the transaction. On one hand, you want to market the practice and inform potential purchasers of the opportunity. On the other hand, you need to control how and when the patients, staff, […]

Dental School Debt Repayment Strategies for a Smart Future

Thursday, September 8th, 2022 by Theodore C. Schumann II MBA, MSF, CFP, AIF, Partner

Dental School Debt Repayment: Smart Strategies for Your Future It’s common for an engagement with a new client to begin in the late summer or early autumn. This is when most new dental school graduates are fully licensed, employed in some capacity, and are trying to get financially situated. Also, impending student loan payments will […]

What Can a Buyer do to Ease Negotiations with a Seller?

Monday, July 25th, 2022 by Timothy Giroux, DDS

Make a Good Impression It may sound like common sense, but the best thing a buyer can do is to put your best foot forward with the seller the moment you first meet, and make a good impression. Forget that you are nervous about paying all that money for goodwill and old equipment. The most […]

Navigating the Contracts and Negotiations for a Dental Transition

Wednesday, July 13th, 2022 by Kevin Cooper, M.B.A.

Contracts, and the negotiations that surround them, are a significant part of the dental transition process. The most common contracts include the asset purchase agreement, real estate lease or sale agreement, and employment contract. Having the right team in place is essential to navigating this area successfully. Types of Contract Agreements for Dental Practices The […]

Should You Build or Buy a Dental Practice?

Tuesday, July 12th, 2022 by Peter J. Ackerman, CPA, CVA

In today’s economic climate, dentists are becoming increasingly discouraged by the shortage of available practices for sale and are considering scratch-start practices. What to Consider if You’re Building a Dental Practice There are many things to consider if you decide you’re going to build or buy a dental practice. Dental Practice Financing To pay for […]

What You Need to Know About Private Practice vs. DSO

Monday, February 21st, 2022 by Tim G. Giroux DDS

DSOs are here to stay. They are spreading nationally, and many believe they will be the largest providers of dental services very soon. Why? The obvious reason is that dentistry can be very profitable and provide a steady return to investors. Why did it take so long for investors to jump into the business of […]

Don’t Go it Alone. Hire a Practice Transitions Expert.

Friday, January 21st, 2022 by Timothy G. Giroux

Dental transitions are very much like the PRACTICE of dentistry in that we all know that years of “practice” is usually the key to excellent dentistry. While we were all confident that we received great training in dental school, most of us realized that only years of practicing in one location was truly the yardstick […]

When Selling a Dental Practice, Make Sure You’re Following Expert Advice

Friday, January 21st, 2022 by Timothy G. Giroux

Recently, a retiring doctor perused the website of a large and trusted dental insurance company and found information relating to practice sales. Part of that information included letters for sellers to give to their staff to make sure the selling doctor would be in compliance with state labor law upon the close of sale. The […]

Hey Young Dentists, Get out of the City!

Friday, January 21st, 2022 by Timothy G. Giroux

In the 20 years I have been involved in dental practice transitions, never has there been such a discrepancy in the interest of practices in the big cities as compared to the rural areas. Practices in small cities like Chico garner almost no attention, even after most of the town of Paradise had to move […]

Buying a Dental Practice? Here Are Some Important Questions to Get Answered.

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021 by ADS Transitions

Buying a Dental Practice? Consider Asking These Questions First. If you’ve decided to buy your own dental practice, there are some important questions you may want to consider asking the seller, once you’ve found a practice you’d like to purchase. It’s important to be prepared for what is ahead. Your best option is to surround […]

Six Questions Every Dentist Should Ask if You’re Thinking of Selling to a DSO

Saturday, November 6th, 2021 by Thomas Wolff

Be Sure to Ask These Six Questions When Considering Selling to a DSO In the first 25 years of our company’s history, dating back to 1993, 100 percent of our transitions were from one solo practitioner or partnership to another. For some buyers, this might have been their second, third, or even fourth office – […]

Should you sell your dental practice to a DSO?

Friday, September 10th, 2021 by Doug Sellan

What is a DSO? A DSO (dental service organization) contract with dental practices and provide business support and management. The DSO model works by supporting dental practices with administrative and non-clinical services. This allows dentists to conduct patient care without having to focus on operations management. Who do DSOs Employ? Aside from acquiring private practices, […]

Understanding the Offer to Purchase Document

Thursday, July 8th, 2021 by Kevin Cooper, MBA

Whether you’re buying or selling a dental practice, one of the most important initial documents is an Offer to Purchase (OTP).

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Friday, May 21st, 2021 by Doug Sellan

Life is like a record album for those who remember what that actually is. It spins around and around, and once it gets to the end, it starts back at the beginning. Like the 70’s Rock Band, The Clash simply put it in the 1982 top 40 hit, “Should I Stay, or Should I Go”? […]

Additional Practice Transition Tax Planning Strategies

Monday, March 22nd, 2021 by Ted Schumann II and John Looby, CPA

Hello Again, Our last article was dedicated to the basics of tax considerations in the practice transition process. As a quick refresher, the total sale price of a dental practice is typically allocated in some part to goodwill, equipment, and supplies. Each of which carries with it its own tax consequences for both the buyer […]

The Smart Money is Buying Dental Practices Now!

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021 by Timothy G. Giroux, DDS

Investing in a Dental Practice is a Smart Investing Move The United States had the best economy it’s seen with the lowest unemployment OF ALL TIME prior to the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic. Many economists predicted the stimulus package would result in several years of better-than-average growth in the US economy. I personally have had private […]

Now What?

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2020 by Earl Douglas, DDS

This article by ADS member Earl Douglas will be featured in the October issue of Dental Entrepreneur. Boy, talk about being dealt a bad hand, and that’s definitely an understatement. Who could imagine that just as I’m finishing an eight year journey to becoming a licensed dentist that the country would experience the most dire […]

Avoiding Practice Transition Problems

Monday, August 10th, 2020 by Gary Schaub

I would like to share some stories with you concerning a few of the transition disasters I have witnessed. Whether you are a potential seller or buyer, learning from them might help you avoid the same mistakes that some of your colleagues have made. We will start with my first dental practice sale. Almost 30 […]

How ADS Dental Transitions Dental Brokers Can Help Soon-to-be Retirees and First-time Buyers Buy and Sell a Dental Practice

Thursday, June 11th, 2020 by Kevin Cooper, MBA

The decision to buy or sell a dental practice is a significant undertaking. It can be overwhelming for many doctors because they often only buy or sell a dental practice once in their career. As a seller, your experience from when you purchased a dental practice will significantly differ from what a buyer experiences today, […]

5 Quick Questions On Every Dentist’s Mind About A Post COVID-19 Practice

Thursday, May 21st, 2020 by Timothy G. Giroux, DDS

One thing for certain in our industry, nobody could have foreseen the impact and chaos that COVID-19 caused all of us. But, with that said, and as the dust of the pandemic’s initial assault settles, a lot of practice owners are coming out of their quarantines with questions about what the market is for those […]

Buy a Practice…Now???

Monday, May 4th, 2020 by Timothy G. Giroux, DDS

COVID-19 has all of us questioning how we move forward. Unfortunately, many will retreat into their safe zones when it comes to making a career choice or financial decision. From a strictly financial standing during times of economic prosperity or downturn, it is always better to own a practice than to be an associate in […]

Financing for Dental Practices Today

Monday, March 23rd, 2020 by ADS Transitions

Whether you are a first time practice owner or someone looking to expand, relocate or add an additional location, the options for financing today have never been more extensive. When it comes to the types of financing available for the purchase of a dental practice, the most common options are conventional banks, small business loans […]

Millennial Dentists & Changes in Dentistry

Tuesday, November 5th, 2019 by ADS - Practice Transitions Made Perfect (TM)

“MILLENNIALS” are people born between 1980 and 2005.1(p3) They’ve grown up in a much different world than previous generations and are already showing some very interesting tendencies as they enter the workforce. I’ve been brokering dental practices for 28 years, and it was traditionally assumed that most young dentists would go into private practices for […]

What Do You Do After Dental School?

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2019 by ADS Transitions

Things to Consider After Dental School? After graduating from dental school, you’ll need to make crucially important decisions: What do you do next? Where do you want to practice dentistry, and what type of dental work do you want to be doing? What happens after dental school is a decision that will affect you for […]

Change You Can Believe In

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019 by Max Wilson

Over the past several months, WE HAVE HEARD A GREAT DEAL ABOUT CHANGE. Change in any aspect of our life often creates some level of stress. However, some of us actually look forward to change and view it as an opportunity. One thing that is an absolute certainty is that change will happen in all […]

How to Buy a Dental Practice

Saturday, March 2nd, 2019 by ADS Transitions

After completing your formal training and saving money for a down payment, you might be excited to purchase your first practice and start advertising your services. For those who are moving to a new area after having worked in another practice, this is also an exciting time. However, because purchasing an existing dental practice involves […]

Maximizing Your (Huge) Investment

Tuesday, February 20th, 2018 by ADS - Practice Transitions Made Perfect (TM)

In my career of helping dentists acquire their practices, obtaining financing is one of the bigger tasks. In previous years, I was dealing with the commercial brick and mortar banks that you pass on the way to wherever you go.

Dental practice real estate: own it or rent it?

Friday, November 4th, 2016 by Jed Esposito

ANY DENTIST LOOKING INTO COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE (CRE) for his or her dental practice should have the mentality of being “pro real estate.” In other words, you should not be afraid of real estate financing, market forces, and property management. If you are comfortable owning a home or rental property, you will most likely be successful […]

The Emotional Aspect of a Practice Sale

Tuesday, September 1st, 2015 by Dave Kasper

“If we think about it, nearly every notable purchase or sale we’ve been involved with during our lives has evoked a certain level of emotion. Whether it was the purchase of a toy as a child, or our first car or home as a newlywed, we often remember how we felt when the transaction occurred.” […]

The Dental Practice Transition Period

Sunday, December 28th, 2014 by ADS - Practice Transitions Made Perfect (TM)

There are many issues that have to be agreed upon in order to sell a dental practice. One of them is the transition period, which is the time from settlement to the time the seller leaves the practice. The purpose of this article is to address key points that should be considered in order for […]

Terms To Consider During Practice Transition

Friday, October 24th, 2014 by ADS - Practice Transitions Made Perfect (TM)

If you ask a group of doctors the most important aspect of a practice transition, the majority will point to the purchase price. Too few doctors realize that the other terms of the sale have a dramatic financial impact on the final sales price. To achieve a successful transition, buyers and sellers must work out […]

The Hidden Investment Opportunity: Dental Practice Transitions

Sunday, March 23rd, 2014 by ADS - Practice Transitions Made Perfect (TM)

While speaking with a lender who does dental transition financing, he mentioned the great rate of returns a lot of corporations get by purchasing dental practices. He said that buying the right practices, even at fair market value, would result in rates of return as high as 15-20%. That is an incredible return rate for […]

The State of Practice Transitions in Today’s Market

Sunday, December 8th, 2013 by ADS - Practice Transitions Made Perfect (TM)

Some of the frequent statements or questions I hear from dentists these days are – “I wish I could just be a clinician and not worry about running the business,” “What is the value of my practice?” “When is the right time to sell my practice?” and “What options do I have to practice after […]

The Associate Buyout

Wednesday, December 4th, 2013 by ADS - Practice Transitions Made Perfect (TM)

by Bill Avery, DDS, PhD As happens with most dental practice brokers, I frequently get calls from dentists who are considering bringing in an associate so they can eventually sell their practice to the associate and retire in a few years. For simplicity’s sake, I prefer the “sell and walk away” transition method where the seller […]

Buyer Dynamics and Entrepreneurs

Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013 by ADS - Practice Transitions Made Perfect (TM)

The buyer pool for dental practices changes daily. It is organic and it flows. In my practice transition world, every day dentists buy, sell, move, merge, partner, retire, or try something else. In my opinion, dentistry is the best entrepreneurial profession in modern medicine. Several times a week I speak with dentists who are entertaining […]

Hire An Associate? Long Transition? Partnership? Retire? I’m Confused!

Monday, December 2nd, 2013 by ADS - Practice Transitions Made Perfect (TM)

Baby boomers are perhaps the largest segment of full-time practicing dentists in the country today. Many are reaching a point where they need to decide how to transition out of their profession. We will briefly discuss some options during this important phase in your decision-making process. The goal is to arm you with 1,000 questions […]

Sensible Approaches to Dental Practice Acquisitions

Friday, January 18th, 2013 by Fred Heppner

Dental practice acquisitions and sales require the RIGHT STRATEGY WITH SENSIBLE GUIDELINES to result in a successful transition. It is important to find the ideal practice to purchase, and to know that the practice has a sufficient cash flow to provide a good living and to service debt. It is vital to ensure that the terms and conditions […]

Should You Sell the Accounts Receivable in a Practice Transition?

Tuesday, November 6th, 2012 by Infogenix

Although opinions are divided on selling accounts receivable (A/R), a strong argument for “yes” is that it’s a good idea if both parties agree and the price is carefully evaluated. The reasons for transitioning the accounts receivable are related to supporting a seamless transition for the selling doctor, the buying doctor, and the patients. From the […]

Be Like Warren Buffet

Friday, August 31st, 2012 by Steve Jordan

If you’re planning to purchase a dental practice in the next year, now is your chance to be like the legendary billionaire investor Warren Buffett. As I wrote this, Buffett announced that his Berkshire Hathaway Company was investing $5 billion in Bank of America (NYSE: BAC). With a 2011 year-to-date loss per share of $.28, why would Buffett […]

Consider Taxes When Negotiating

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010 by Keith White

We all know that DEATH AND TAXES are the only two certainties in life. We also know that when you sell a dental practice, chances are you are going to have to pay income taxes on the sale. What may come as a surprise is that the amount of taxes due can vary widely depending […]

Facility Leasing Issues During Transition

Friday, December 11th, 2009 by Randy Daigler

PRACTICE TRANSITIONS often require buyers to deal with leased facilities and a host of unfamiliar issues. Stability is the name of the game in a transition, so leaving a practice in its current location is wise. This does not mean you’re stuck without options on the lease of the current facility. The seller has one important […]

Trauma in the Practice Purchase ER

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 by Steve Jordan

If you’ve ever watched one of the popular trauma ER documentaries, you’ve probably thought, “I’m glad that wasn’t me!” After reading these actual practice purchase traumas, you may think, “I’M GLAD IT WASN’T ME.” FUTURE SALE DATE: A practice had $300K collections. Nearby, a young dentist agreed to buy the practice to merge it into […]

The Agreements Before the Agreement

Monday, August 3rd, 2009 by Steve Wolff

Dental practice sales are very difficult transactions. They typically involve a young buyer with limited experience in the world of business, and an older seller who has great concerns regarding the perpetuation of his or her legacy. To compound the problem, this is usually a once-in-a-career event for both parties, and neither party is very […]

Negotiating a Practice Sale

Monday, July 7th, 2008 by Bill Avery

In order to maintain the best possible relationship between buyer and seller during a practice sale, it’s important to have an intermediary or buffer such as a broker, attorney, or accountant to assist in the negotiation of the sale of the practice assets. Selling a dental practice usually requires some negotiation, and having this  intermediary […]

What Information Do You Need?

Tuesday, March 4th, 2008 by Tom Smeed

Not doing due diligence is not a good excuse for finding out poor decisions have been made. Too often, doctors interested in buying, selling, or transitioning a dental practice don’t look at all of the information they should to make correct decisions. My studies have shown that most doctors know what information they should obtain. […]

Tax Consequences of Buying or Selling a Dental Practice

Monday, November 19th, 2007 by Roy Rice

Before buying or selling a dental practice, great care and planning should be taken to consider the TAX CONSEQUENCES regarding the allocation of the sale price to the various assets involved in the transaction. Typically, the group of assets that would be sold between the selling party and buying party would include dental supplies, furniture, […]

Pathways to a Practice Purchase

Wednesday, June 6th, 2007 by Terry Watson

Staff and the New Doctor

Monday, July 1st, 2002 by John M. Cahill

The fear that existing staff will not stay with a new doctor after selling a dental practice is largely unwarranted in the majority of practice transitions. Although it could happen, it normally does not. Here’s why. When a new doctor buys an existing practice, the staff has two options: 1) Stay on (provided the new […]

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