Award-winning dental practice, The Essex Smile Centre, sold to Dentex
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of The Essex Smile Centre in Rayleigh, Essex, to Dentex Healthcare Group Limited, one of the fastest growing dental corporates in the UK.
The Essex Smile Centre is a hugely successful, multi award-winning, seven-surgery practice which has been providing Private and NHS patient care for over 50 years.
The business has been under the expert tenure of brothers Dr Declan Keane and Dr Stephen Keane since 2004, having been originally established as Church View Dental Care by their father in 1968. Following a rebrand, the duo introduced more specialist services, expanded the practice, and invested extensively in clinical and support teams.
The business has seen significant growth in the last 15 years and is now regarded as one of the leading referral clinics for advanced dentistry treatments. The appointment of experienced Business Manager, Ms Michelle Murphy, in December 2017 helped accelerate efficiencies within the business and underpin the reputation and brand of the practice.
Dr Declan Keane and Dr Stephen Keane decided to sell in order to free themselves from ownership, but they plan to work at the practice post-completion to see it grow and to continue to forge lasting relationships with their patients.
Dr Declan Keane comments, “After over 55 years as a family concern, we have decided to become part of another family and join Dentex Limited. We did this to give us more structure, support and stability in these uncertain times, but also, looking into the future, we believe becoming part of a shareholder partner group is the best way to position ourselves and maintain our independence. Oliver Snowden has been immense and a pleasure to deal with. We look forward to some golf!
“Paul Graham at Christie & Co has been indispensable and an intelligent, thoughtful and trustworthy partner in this purchase/sale, whom we would highly recommend, and the same can be said for Katie Taken at Knights Plc. A special mention should go to Ross Martin, Simon Vincent, and Dan Fine at Hive Accountants. They were instrumental in our development and, without them, we would not have developed into this successful and amazing behemoth.”
The Essex Smile Centre has been acquired by Dentex Healthcare Group Limited. Speaking on behalf of the company, Director of Partnership and Acquisitions, Mr Oliver Snowden, comments, “I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome the team at Essex Smile Centre to the Dentex family. Personally, this acquisition means a lot as I’ve known Declan and Stephen Keane for a number of years and have been amazed at the successful growth the practice continues to achieve. It offers and excellent mix of general, specialist and NHS treatments in an excellent location and will be a great asset to add to our portfolio. The Principals and their Operations Manager have created a business they should be so proud of and now, in partnership with Dentex, we hope to build on the reputation already established.
“This partnership is one of a number that Dentex have completed in 2021 and we look forward to even more great practices joining our group in the next few months.”
Paul Graham, Head of Dental at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, comments, “Declan and Stephen were a pleasure to work with and we are delighted to have achieved such a fantastic result for them in the sale of The Essex Smile Centre.
“The practice was launched to market in the summer of 2020, just as practices reopened following the first lockdown. Despite some uncertainty in the market, I was confident that the opportunity to purchase The Essex Smile Centre would attract the same level of interest as would be expected pre-pandemic and it certainly did, with all buyers capable of a purchase at this level being involved in the bidding process. The business was sold to Dentex, who we are sure will be most suited to uphold the reputation and growth of the practice.
“We would like to congratulate Dentex on its latest acquisition, and to Declan, Stephen and Michelle for building one of the best dental practices in the country. We wish all parties continued success for the future.”
Charles Russell Speechlys acted for the buyer and Katie Taken at Knights plc for the sellers.
The Essex Smile Centre was sold for an undisclosed sum.
For further information on this press release, contact:
Phoebe Burrows, Corporate Communications Executive
P: 020 7448 8849 or E: phoebe.burrows@christie.com
Contact the agent:
Paul Graham, Head of Dental
P: 07739 876 621 or E: paul.graham@christie.com
