July newsletter: BDA courses and exit planning event insights
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At Spot On Business Planning, we believe that real progress happens when principals, practice managers, and leadership teams grow together—with the right tools, insights, and support along the way.
In this month's newsletter edition:
- We share a fantastic BDA course that every dental principal and manager should attend.
- We highlight key takeaways from the recent Dental Practice Sale (DPS) event on how to plan for a smooth and successful practice exit.
- And for those of you thinking of starting a squat or know a colleague who is acquiring their first practice—we spotlight the BDA’s Setting up a dental practice workshop.
The BDA course every dental principal and their practice manager should attend
September 12th & October 10th
Led by Andy McDougall and Anne-Marie Houston
If you own a dental practice— or manage one — this focused two-day course is designed to give you the tools, strategies, and confidence to improve your practice’s profitability and performance. No fluff. Just what works.
Day one: Master your numbers (Sept 12th)
- Understand your balance sheet clearly by lunchtime—no financial background required
- Identify where your profit is leaking and how to fix it
- Learn how pricing, cost management, and efficiency tweaks drive huge financial gains.
Day two: Real-world practice transformation (Oct 10th)
- Work hands-on with ‘Demo Dental’ — a simulated struggling practice designed to reflect real-world challenges.
- Step-by-step, we’ll show you how to transform financial chaos into clarity.
- Implement strategic pricing adjustments, associate productivity tweaks, and smarter marketing strategies to turn a struggling practice into a thriving business.
Book now: https://www.bda.org/learning/courses-and-events/business-essentials-sep-and-oct-2025/
Planning your successful exit - insights from the latest DPS event
The recent Dental Practice Sale (DPS) event in Surrey brought together a room of experienced dental practice owners for an evening focused on “Planning your successful exit.”
Hosted by DPS, in partnership with us and AMG Wealth Management, the evening offered valuable insights on preparing for a smooth and profitable transition when the time comes to sell your practice.
The session tackled some of the most common — and important — questions owners are asking today:
- When is the right time to sell?
- What other factors do I need to consider?
- How long will the process take?
- Why should I keep working hard if I plan to sell?
- Who is likely to buy my practice?
- What happens to me after the sale?
- How will my deal be structured when I sell?
If any of these questions are on your mind, you're not alone. And the good news? You don't have to navigate this journey alone either.
Book a valuation appointment with DPS today.
Sit down with their expert team for a confidential, one-to-one consultation to understand your goals and help you shape a well-planned, successful exit strategy tailored to your circumstances.
Whether you're considering a sale in the near future or just starting to plan ahead, the right advice can make all the difference.
Call DPS and request your free valuation appointment.
Starting a squat or know someone acquiring their first practice?
Are you thinking of starting a squat practice? Do you know an associate or colleague taking their first steps into practice ownership?
If so, the BDA’s Setting Up a Dental Practice workshop is the perfect starting point.
This practical one-day course is designed to guide new practice owners through everything they need to know about setting up from scratch or buying their first practice—from business planning and financing to compliance and marketing.
- Ideal if you’re planning to start a squat practice
- A great introduction for associates thinking of ownership
- Covers the essentials of buying or setting up a practice for the first time
- Delivered by a panel of industry experts including Andy and Anne-Marie
If you or someone you know could benefit from expert guidance before making this big move, this workshop is an invaluable step in the right direction.
Date: 21st November
Location: Central London
Find out more and book your place here.
Stay connected with SOBP on social media
Did you know we’re active on social media? Our channels are the perfect way to stay updated, inspired, and informed about the latest developments in dentistry, industry trends, and expert advice tailored just for you.
By following us, you’ll get access to:
- Tips and insights to help grow and optimise your practice.
- Webinar and event updates, so you never miss out on valuable learning opportunities.
- Success stories and testimonials from clients.
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Our upcoming events
Ethical Communication & Treatment Plan Acceptance Mastery
Mark Skimming – a practicing dentist and multi-practice owner – will impart a structured, ethical framework that will help you build trust and increase treatment uptake in ways that fit seamlessly into your clinical workflow.
Master communication and increase case acceptance
Mark hosted a 1-hour webinar to introduce the training day – click here to watch the recording.
Who is this training day for?
Practice owners, associates and treatment coordinators who want to help more patients say yes to the right care without compromising their values.
What you’ll discover
- The critical points in your patient journey that influence treatment acceptance
- Key actions to take before your patient even sits in the chair
- How to communicate confidently with or without a TCO
- The core psychological principles that shape ethical patient decision-making
- How to quickly build trust with new patients
- The structure of a clear, effective, non-clinical case discussion
- Common traps dentists fall into when discussing treatment—and how to avoid them
- Tools to enhance your communication and patient understanding
- How to measure and improve your performance over time
Event details
- Location: Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre, London Heathrow
- Date: Friday, 30 January 2026
- Duration: 6 hours of verifiable CPD
- Investment: £1,200
Click here to book your place: https://sobm.co.uk/communication-course/
Plan your successful exit
Due to demand, Dental Practice Sale (DPS) is hosting another fantastic opportunity for dentists to join leading industry experts. This free event in central London in October is ideal for dentists keen to plan a successful exit, maximise their exit value and gain tips for a smoother sale.
Join Dental Practice Sale, Spot On Business Planning and AMG Wealth Management on Thursday, October 16 for an informative live event.
The three companies will address key areas of concern to practice owners leading up to a sale, the sale process itself and post-sale aspects.
What should I expect?
- Learn how to maximise your exit value - what are the drivers?
- Understand the benefits of structuring your business ready for exit
- Determine the best point to exit
- Gain insights on the state of the market today
- Consider where your practice sits with the different buyers in the market
- Uncover the details in deal structures
- Be informed about the valuation process & how you can influence it
- Be aware of options pre sale such as EOT, Pre Sale Trusts, significant share holder exemption
- Transition into the next phase of life
- Ensure you run out of life before running out of money (cash forecasting)
- Protect the estate for now and future generations
- Complimentary drinks and buffet from 6.30pm
Location: Great Northern Hotel, King’s Cross St Pancras International Station, Pancras Road, London, N1C 4TB
Date and time: Thursday, October 16 | 18:30 - 21:59
BDA Business Essentials Course May-June 2026
This two-day workshop is ideal for any dental business owner and their practice manager looking to transform poor performance, prepare for sale, or take their practice to the next level with a vision for expansion. Presented by industry experts Andy McDougall and Anne-Marie Houston, this interactive workshop will equip you with the essential tools and strategies to succeed in today’s competitive market.
Book your 121 Zoom with Andy McDougall
Fill in the form below.
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