Launching to the dental community this May, Dentex is a UK partnership group for the dental profession. Working to a unique co-ownership model, which encourages clinical excellence and growth in profitability, the organisation provides the support that independent dental practitioners need to achieve their full potential, without encroaching on their autonomy.
Established in 2014, the organisation already works with a number of strategically selected partner dentists including Mark Hughes, Stuart Bowen-Davies, Stan Dubowitz, Elaine Halley, Rahul and BhavnaDoshi, Pieter Claassen, Stephen Tarr, and Tidu Mankoo.
Founded by Mark Cockburn, a Chartered Accountant with more than 30 years’ experience, and William Bowen-Davies, an entrepreneur with a successful history in business management and extensive experience in the dental industry, Dentex combines clinical and financial excellence.
Headed up by CEO Barry Lanesman, a qualified Dentist with a 26-year career history and an MBA from the University of Cape Town, Dentex is managed by dentists and others with professional links to the occupation. Coupled with Pat Langley’s (Group Clinical Director at Oasis for 7 years) outstanding clinical support, guidance and leadership, and Christopher Barrow’s (Legal Director, with 20 years’ experience at high profile international law firms) unerring legal expertise, the Dentex team have extremely strong foundations.
Lanesman comments: ‘The Dentex mission is to foster clinical excellence and freedom in dentistry. It is important that we collaborate with our partnering dentists, enabling them a way to enhance and share their skills. This means that with our support they can grow more than they could have on their own, whilst retaining clinical control of their business. These goals and values are shared by our funders at Universal Partners.It’s a unique approach, but one that we feel really meets the needs of dentists today – we believe what we are building will revolutionise dentistry in the UK’
Andrew Birrell, Executive Director at Universal Partners comments: ‘Universal Partners are delighted to fund Dentex, to support the delivery of the unique clinical partnership model. As a long-term capital provider, we are committed to partnership and we believe that Dentex will make a lasting, positive impact by allowing clinicians to set high clinical standards, whilst benefiting from a strong capital provider.
Dentex works with two partner types:
- Dentex Regional Partners – For dentists who wish to expand and grow their own group of practices,
but need support to realise their ambitions. Taking a minority share the business, Dentex provide
financial, legal, regulatory, business and management support necessary to drive practices forward. - Dentex Practice Partners – Practice Partners gain the support needed to refocus their efforts on the
areas of work which they find most rewarding. The practice becomes part of a Regional Partner’s
group, helping to realise the practice’s potential, both clinically and financially.
Dentex co-founder Mark Cockburn comments: ‘Dentex supports dentists in running their practices by providing mentoring, guidance, technical, financial, regulatory, legal and clinical help as needed. Partners retain full clinical control of their businesses and gain the reassurance of a safety net.’
‘At Dentex we believe in a culture of integrity, respect, and the highest ethical standards,’ he adds. ‘We work with passion and determination in everything that we do, while continuously searching to innovate, improve and evolve. These are the qualities which we are looking for in any future practice or regional partners.’
Regional Partner, Mark Hughes of SD Dentco, comments: ‘Patient-centred dentistry has always been a passion of mine. Having developed my own group of practices, as well as worked with and sold to large dental corporates, Dentex was the only option that allowed me to continue to provide the highest quality care and personal attention that I am used to. Being able to retain my own philosophy and practice identity was key in my decision to join.’
‘In my opinion, they are the only investment vehicle that offers true partnership in growing our businesses together. Any concerns I had were quickly abated after meeting the exceptional support team Dentex has pulled together. The wealth of experience and support they offer is second to none in the UK.’
‘The ability to release equity and still remain in control of my business was key and with the support of the Dentex team I can achieve growth much quicker than I could have on my own.’
