Introduction

So it's time to sell the practice? This is a huge decision and one that needs to be handled with the utmost care. Just like building or buying into a practice, the sales part requires multiple team members, lots of calls and meetings, and a fair deal of time to complete. There are a lot of steps and many different potholes to avoid. This guide was designed to give the reader an overview of the different pieces of the Sale puzzle, and make them feel confident when speaking with team members and buyers alike.

What is the Dental Office Sales Process?

The Dental Practice Sales Process consists of 5 steps that can take anywhere from 2-3 months to over a year. Each of these steps is described in detail on separate linked pages, but the TLDR version is right here.

• 1: Preparation for Practice Sale

  • In this step you will prepare yourself as an owner to transition the practice by understanding your practice’s worth, identifying your buyer pool and timeline, and lastly cleaning up any issues that may prevent you from selling
  • Dental Practice Connect can help here by plugging into your financials and giving you an accurate valuation your practice that’s ready to share with CPAs, Brokers, or Buyers.

• Step 2: Marketing the Practice

  • This is where you put your practice up for sale officially and let buyers come to you. Be prepared for many questions and requests regarding your office.

• Step 3: Deal Structure Offer Evaluation

  • Once you’ve got buyers lined up, you will want to stack up their offers and see which ones make the most sense for you. This is about more than just price, you’ll want to understand the terms and conditions alongside each offer.
  • Dental Practice Connect has a free Offer Analyzer tool you can use to compare different offers you may receive, and what that means for you financially.

• Step 4: Legal and Due Diligence

  • Once you’ve picked a buyer and offer, this step is where you will engage an attorney or CPA to help with contracts, accounting due diligence, or anything else that may pop up.

• Step 5: Closing the Deal and Post-Transaction Support

  • Finally, signing day arrives. Here is when you will sign the transaction paperwork and finally receive the selling price for your practice. In most sales contracts, there is a period of post-transaction support where the selling dentist will stay on to support the buyer. This can range anywhere from 2 months to 5 years, depending on the buyer.

Conclusion

Selling your dental practice isn’t just a financial transaction—it’s a personal and professional transition that marks the end of one chapter and the start of another. By understanding the sales process and preparing thoughtfully at each step, you can protect the value you’ve built and make confident, informed decisions. Whether you’re just starting to think about selling or already fielding offers, the right tools and team can make all the difference. With clarity, preparation, and the right support, you’ll be ready to navigate your sale smoothly—and walk away with peace of mind.