Selling a dental practice is one of the most significant decisions in the professional life of many dentists. It involves far more than a purely financial transaction – the sale affects personal life planning, the practice team, and the long-term care of patients. In this article, we guide you through the most important steps of selling a practice, from the initial preparations and succession planning to financial valuation and the sales process itself.
Why a solid plan is crucial when selling a practice
The sale of a dental practice is not a short-term project, and many practice owners underestimate the lead time required for proper preparation. In addition to the economic valuation of the practice, you should also clarify your retirement planning and tax-related aspects with appropriate experts at an early stage.
Sufficient time can also be crucial to ensure a smooth transition for your employees and patients. Accordingly, a lead time of around 2 years is recommended when searching for a suitable successor.
Am I ready to sell my dental practice?
Before taking concrete steps, it is worth conducting an honest self-assessment – not only from an economic perspective, but above all from a personal one. Selling your dental practice often means much more than a business transaction, as you have invested years of work into building your independence.
Typical reasons why dentists sell their practices include:
- Preparation for retirement and the desire for more free time
- Health-related reasons or decreasing resilience
- Career reorientation or a transition into a different role
- Financial challenges
Beyond these rational reasons, emotional readiness is crucial. Signs that you may be internally ready for the next step include feeling relief rather than a sense of loss when thinking about handing over the practice, or increasingly reflecting on what life after the practice could look like. A declining interest in long-term investments or strategic practice decisions can also be an indicator.
Tips for dealing with this major change
Mentally, it is important to consciously prepare for the change in roles. Handing over the practice means letting go of responsibility and gradually transferring control – to the successor, the team, and new structures. Many sellers underestimate how emotionally impactful this process can be, especially if the practice was built over many years or even decades with great personal commitment.
It is helpful to start thinking early about life after the handover. Concrete plans for retirement or the next phase of life can help avoid falling into an emotional “void.” These may include:
- Part-time work or involvement during the transition phase
- Engagement in professional associations, continuing education, or mentoring
- Voluntary work or social projects
- Personal interests, hobbies, or travel that previously lacked time
Equally important is the question of whether you are prepared to remain actively involved in the practice until the handover. Many buyers prefer a transition phase during which the former owner continues treating patients to ensure continuity for both patients and staff. Those who can adapt to this and consciously shape this phase not only ease the succession process, but also significantly facilitate their own farewell.
Optimal preparation for selling your dental practice
A successful practice sale begins with structured preparation. First, you should clarify whether there will be a successor or whether the practice will be dissolved. Depending on the decision, different preparations may be required.
Handing over a dental practice to a successor:
- Find a suitable successor to take over your practice
- Plan the transition period to build trust with both the team and existing patients
- Prepare the practice organizationally and structurally for the handover by documenting processes clearly and defining responsibilities
- Communicate the planned change early and transparently to employees and patients
- Define your own role after the handover, such as temporary clinical involvement, an advisory function, or a complete withdrawal
Dissolving a dental practice:
- Inform your employees about the upcoming end of their employment and ensure that notice periods are observed
- Inform your patients about the closure of the practice and, if possible, recommend a dentist in the surrounding area
- Look for buyers for your medical equipment and furnishings. Here, listings on medical platforms as well as word-of-mouth recommendations are advisable in order to potentially find dentists who want to become self-employed.
- Terminate the lease for your practice premises or arrange early for a buyer of the property
An unfavorable timing or insufficient preparation can delay the sale or significantly reduce the achievable price. Missing documentation or selling shortly after a major investment can, for example, lead to financial losses.
How do I find a successor for my dental practice?
Finding a successor is often the most critical part of selling a practice. In addition to the professional qualifications and suitability of the successor, the personal compatibility with the existing practice team can be just as important. If you are considering an external successor, it is advisable to arrange initial meetings early on. This helps ensure a harmonious working atmosphere and a continued positive patient experience.
In Switzerland, the following channels are available for successor searches:
- Personal networks and colleagues
- SSO sections and study clubs
- Professional associations and specialist platforms
- Specialized practice brokers and intermediaries
- Online practice marketplaces such as immoscout24.ch, praxismieten.ch or praxsuisse.ch
- Group practices and practice networks
Tip:
A discreet and targeted approach can significantly increase your chances of success. Communicating a planned handover too publicly too early can create uncertainty among potential successors as well as within the team.
How much is a dental practice in Switzerland worth?
One of the most frequently asked questions is: How much is my dental practice worth? The value of a practice is composed of several components.
Tangible assets include:
- Treatment units and equipment: How new are the devices, what condition are they in, do they meet current standards, is anything missing?
- IT systems: How current and comprehensive is your practice software? Are the systems compatible, compliant with data protection regulations, and suitable for future development?
- Tenant improvements or real estate: How high-quality and functional are the practice premises? Do they meet today’s requirements for ergonomics, hygiene, and patient comfort?
In addition, intangible assets, often referred to as goodwill, are frequently decisive:
- Stable patient base
- Revenue and profit history
- Quality of location
- Well-coordinated practice team and their qualifications
- Reputation and market position
What price is realistic when selling a dental practice?
The selling price of a dental practice in Switzerland is not based on the emotional value to the owner, but on its affordability for buyers. Banks carefully assess whether the purchase price can be supported by the practice’s earnings.
An excessively high asking price often leads to a significantly prolonged sales process or even complete failure. A market-aligned price, on the other hand, increases demand and accelerates the search for a successor.
Depending on location, condition, and scope, you can expect around CHF 100,000–300,000 for a solo practice and approximately CHF 1,000,000 or more for a group practice.
Which documents do prospective buyers require?
Well-prepared documentation creates trust and professionalism. Potential buyers expect transparency and clear, comprehensible figures.
The most important documents include:
- Current practice valuation
- Annual financial statements and key figures from recent years
- Lease agreement or property information
- Employment contracts and salary structure of the team
- Contracts with laboratories, suppliers, leasing, and service partners
The better these documents are prepared, the more efficient discussions and negotiations will be.
Taxes and retirement planning when selling a practice
The sale of a dental practice in Switzerland has significant tax implications and is likely a central pillar of your personal retirement planning.
Forward-looking planning helps optimize the tax burden and sustainably secure the net proceeds. At the same time, the proceeds should be integrated into a holistic retirement strategy that considers AHV, occupational pension schemes, and private solutions to ensure long-term financial security in retirement.
Key questions to clarify in this context include:
- What is the effective tax burden when selling the practice?
- How can the sale proceeds be optimally integrated into retirement and estate planning?
- What timing options exist to avoid tax peaks?
Early and interdisciplinary advice from fiduciary, tax, and pension experts during this phase helps ensure that financial decisions are not made in isolation, but that the practice sale is understood as part of a long-term life and retirement plan.
Process of selling a practice – from consultation to handover
A structured sales process helps maintain oversight and minimize risks.
Typical process:
- Initial consultation and sales strategy
- Practice valuation and assessment of saleability
- Successor search and preselection
- Negotiations and letter of intent
- Purchase agreement and legal review
- Handover and supported transition phase
In Switzerland, particular attention must be paid to the data-protection-compliant transfer of patient records and the transfer of the practice team in accordance with the Swiss Code of Obligations.
What happens to the practice team during the handover?
In the event of a practice takeover, employment relationships are generally transferred to the new owner. Existing employment conditions remain unchanged. Nevertheless, ensure that you engage in early discussions with employees and inform them about the upcoming takeover. This allows questions to be clarified, misunderstandings to be avoided, and a calm atmosphere to be maintained during the transition period.
If the practice is dissolved and you decide to sell equipment and possibly the property, the contractual notice periods for employees must of course be observed.
Selling a dental practice with foresight and structure
Successfully selling a dental practice in Switzerland requires time, planning, and professional support. Those who start early, conduct a realistic valuation, and actively shape the succession process secure not only financial success but also the continued existence of their practice.