FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Background

Our fundamental goal is to transform the dental landscape, one practice at a time. If you are a clinician seeking a collaborative, ownership-driven environment – talk to us.

 

TDG is a shared equity model, allowing vendor clinicians and incoming clinical partners, the opportunity to retain an ownership interest at practice level.  We focus on growth, clinical freedom, opportunity to “cash up”, having some “skin in the game”, and creating a pathway to “exit”.

 

Our clinical partners are shareholders, sharing common goals of growing together and sharing success, having a say in every decision we make. Bottom line – We listen.

Many reasons!  As an existing owner it provides the ability to release equity whilst retaining clinical autonomy and partial ownership. As a buyer, it provides the opportunity to achieve practice ownership at a far lower cost. Each scenario is tailored for individual circumstances. All with the fundamental foundation of support, guidance and a “helping hand” in running “their” practices. 

 

No – we are a true partnership model, where dentists maintain ownership within “their” practice and continue to operate their practices, but with additional guidance and support.

No – each TDG practice is a separate entity with its own brand, operating individually, with the benefit of backend resources, scale, guidance and support.

Our clinical partners own a share of the practice (tailored for each scenario) and TDG owns the remainder. The TDG model empowers our clinical partners – Dentists, Dental Specialists and Oral Health Therapists to share in the benefits that come from practice ownership without bearing the burdens of practice ownership on your own.  Our philosophy is to work in alignment with key and engaged ‘wet fingered’ clinicians.

Yes – we would acquire a practice outright, with another dentist/s being brought in as a clinical partner.

Yes – Access to capital is critical to growing a dental practice.  We enable dentists to access capital to set up new or develop existing practices. Rather than having to fund expansion capital themselves and take on all the risk – TDG shares this risk in proportion to the shareholding we hold.

Yes – We believe and understand that not a one size fits all.  Our model covers most acquisition scenarios. From the older dentist looking to retire, knowing their patients will be looked after, to the younger dentist looking to partner and realise the potential of a practice with capital investment, guidance, and support.

At a high level, the base valuation is done on a multiple of profit after taking into account the payment of commission to a principal.   Additional to this, we will look at the quality of the premises and equipment and finally whether the key clinical lead remains and for how long.

We want to create an enduring, generational national dental group built on the foundations of passionate clinical partners. Our goal is to reach between 40 to 50 practices in NZ with a focus on long-term sustainability and growth.  Generational businesses are known for their stability and resilience.

While it is beneficial for vendors to remain in some form, it is not an absolute requirement so long as we have a clinical partner to buy in alongside us.

No.  The Dental Group name is only an “industry facing” name.  Maintaining the existing branding and names of practices is vital. We encourage and support individuality of each of our practices and their teams.  Each TDG practice remains a separate brand and entity. 

Shareholding is case dependant, but can range from 10% up to 49%.  For accounting purposes TDG must hold at least 51%. It is a true partnership, where both TDG and clinical partners have equal rights in the shareholding agreements, irrespective of the financial shareholding split. The level of financial shareholding does not affect the clinical partners ability to make decisions. 

Succession is vital. At the same time, for younger clinicians/associates, there is often no clear pathway for buying into a practice. Our model enables a pathway.

 

If a clinical partner is exiting the practice, they must sell their share/s to another clinician/s unless potentially TDG may offer to buy the share/s.

 

We already have a number of examples of clinical partners selling shares on to another clinical partner and TDG selling down shares to clinical partners.  

For existing owners, receiving some upfront cash to help release equity in your practice, but it doesn’t mean giving up independence. Everything that made and makes your practice a success remains – The Brand, The Team, and your clinical decision making.

As a clinician, you are able to focus on your clinical care, as you currently do.  The team in the practice also continues as they do, but with additional support and guidance in key areas such as payroll, recruitment, banking, marketing, IT, clinical compliance etc

TDG funding support is primarily from the privately held Masfen family enterprise, Artemis Capital.

Our philosophy is providing a “Helping hand with Freedom” – Sharing the burden of responsibility.  We believe it is better and easier to manage at practice level, utilising standardised systems, with the guidance and support from a governance, strategic level. 

 

All TDG practices have access to support and resources from our dedicated partnered, preferred 3rd providers in critical areas such as Marketing, IT, Procurement, Banking, Accounting, Payroll and HR.

 

Our goal is to help alleviate some of the administrative burdens that often weigh down clinicians.  We provide guidance and consultancy support, adding a layer of focus on strategic issues, additional to the operational day-to-day running of a dental practice.

 

  • Governance – Being a sounding board and trusted advisor in the industry
  • Clinical Guidance and Support – as required and requested by the clinical network
  • Financial planning – Budgeting and Business Planning

No – Each practice/clinical partner/s manage these areas of the practice.  The role of TDG in this space is to support and guide our practices best deliver and implement their goals.

TDG is well placed for clinical recruitment given our ongoing meaningful discussions with both local and offshore clinicians on a regular basis. TDG also have a close relationship with 3rd party recruitment agencies.  Administrative and Dental Assistant roles are primarily managed at practice level with additional support from TDG.

Each TDG practice has their individual advertising budgets specific to their needs.  TDG utilise partnerships with 3rd party marketing providers with current and growing knowledge of the dental/healthcare industry combined with their knowledge of the latest trends in digital marketing.  We also provide insights into effective promotional campaign and database management.

Yes. Clinical partners have an opportunity to invest in the parent company from time to time.

Each practice is a separate entity, with a separate board of directors made up of TDG directors Andy and Prashant plus the clinical partners from the specific practice entity.

Yes – TDG has a number of key partnerships with dental suppliers. This list is growing and evolving as we grow.

Experience – We have comprehensive knowledge and experience in the dental sector,  understanding the nuances of the dental profession better than most.   Dentistry is a relationship business with clinicians, patients and staff. Through the years of involvement within the dental industry, we have built similar high trust relationships with dentists.

Andy Tapper

The Dental Group was founded by Andy Tapper. After 15 years at the helm of Lumino The Dentists, Andy developed a huge passion for the dental profession. He has built The Dental Group based on a shared ownership model, allowing vendor dentists to reinvest in the parent company as well as retaining an ownership interest at practice level. Funding support is from the privately held Masfen family enterprise, Artemis Capital.

Prashant Kalyan

Dr Prashant Kalyan is the Chief Operating Officer and Clinical Director of The Dental Group bringing with him more than 25 years of dental and business experience. As a former dentist, practice owner and senior adviser, he brings together his operational, financial, IT, marketing, procurement, and M&A skills to focus on supporting the development and management of The Dental Group.