Employee Owned Enterprise - an innovative general dental practice model

Abstract

This paper describes the process of transferring a dental practice ownership from a sole ownership to a new employee-ownership model and how such a model of ownership can be structured with legal underpinning to support both employees and the seller. Creation of an employee-owned NHS dental practice is an innovative and yet tax efficient method of transferring ownership. The authors hope this paper will trigger an interest amongst dental practice owners who are thinking of selling their NHS dental practice which they have established with close support from their team. The employee-ownership model in dentistry should also be attractive to many dentists and dental care professionals (DCPs) who would otherwise not consider owning and running a dental practice on their own. In Wales, the Wales Cooperative Centre provides valuable advice and support from beginning to the end of the process. Further innovation in the dental practice ownership model with provision of community shares should also be explored.