Why it matters
Owning a dental practice brings a different set of financial responsibilities
Running a dental practice means managing the finances of a business, not just your own income and tax. You have payroll, corporation tax, mixed VAT, monthly associate pay and management accounts that should tell you how the practice is actually performing.
Most practice owners we speak to are getting the basics done, accounts filed and tax paid, but not much more than that. Reports are late, tax planning is reactive, and there is little visibility into whether the practice is performing as well as it should.
Samera has worked with practice owners since 2002. We understand NHS contracts, associate splits, mixed VAT and the financial decisions that come with ownership. We also own and operate The Neem Tree Dental Group, so the advice we give is grounded in first-hand experience of running dental practices ourselves.
Packages
Choose the level of support that fits your practice
All packages are fixed-fee plus VAT. Start with the level of support that suits your practice now and move up as your needs grow.
For newer practices
Kick-Start (Basic)
From £500/month + VAT
For start-up and newly established dental practices that need core accounting, reporting and compliance support.
Operational accountancy
- Monthly bookkeeping
- Quarterly management accounts (P&L, balance sheet)
- Quarterly balance sheet reconciliations
- Bookkeeping software and support
- Tracking categories
Annual compliance
- Annual financial statement
- Corporation tax
- Company secretarial (basic)
- Personal tax return (1 director)
Tax planning
- Basic tax estimation and planning
- HMRC investigation cover
Client care
- Dedicated dental accountant
- Email and phone support
- 48-hour response time
- Support with HMRC correspondence
Setup
- Sector-specific chart of accounts
Samera Alliance
- Access to Level 1 – Dental Buying Group
Optional add-ons – available on Kick-Start and Grow
Operational
- Monthly management accounts (Kick-Start only)
- Supplier payment run (Kick-Start only)
- Staff payroll and pension administration
- Associate pay calculations
- VAT returns and mixed VAT work
- Standard financial ratio analysis
- Sector-specific KPIs for dental practices
- Advanced tax estimation and planning
- Initial system health check and data clean-up (Kick-Start only)
Strategic
- Virtual Finance Director (FD) services
- Chair time revenue analysis
- Treatment mix profitability review
- Pricing benchmark analysis
- Practice valuation support
- Cash flow analysis and 12-month forecasting
- NHS UDA analysis and planning
- Profit per clinician reporting
- Exit and succession planning
- Cost benchmarking and overhead analysis
- Financial training, workshops or 1-to-1
Run more than one practice? Our Dental Group accountancy packages are built specifically for multi-site businesses and more complex group structures.
Not sure which package is right for your practice? Book a free 30-minute call and we’ll recommend the best starting point based on your current setup, practice size and the level of support you need.
What we handle
What should a dental practice accountant actually do for you?
A dental practice accountant should do more than file your year-end accounts and tax return. You should have current financial information, ongoing tax support and someone who understands the numbers behind a dental practice.
- Annual accounts and Corporation Tax: prepared accurately and filed on time.
- Management accounts: provided monthly or quarterly depending on your package, giving you a current view of revenue, costs and profitability.
- Payroll and pensions: available alongside your accounts to keep PAYE, pensions and financial reporting joined up.
- Associate pay calculations: available as an add-on, including UDA adjustments and other agreed deductions.
- VAT: support with the mixed VAT position that can arise across exempt healthcare and taxable treatments.
- Tax planning: ongoing tax estimates and routine planning, with more advanced support available.
- Making Tax Digital: separate support for sole-trader practice owners who fall within MTD for Income Tax.
- HMRC correspondence: support with queries, letters and enquiries from HMRC.
- Dedicated dental accountant: a named contact who understands your practice and accounts.
Why Samera
Accountancy expertise informed by running dental practices ourselves
We own dental practices
Staffing, associates, suppliers, pricing and overheads are decisions we deal with at The Neem Tree Dental Group too. That first-hand experience shapes the financial advice we give practice owners.
Accounts that help you run the practice
Annual accounts tell you what happened last year. Management accounts should help you understand what is happening now, where profitability is changing and where the practice needs attention.
We understand the realities of dentistry
Associate costs, payroll, NHS and private income, laboratory bills and practice overheads all affect dental businesses differently. We look at the numbers in the context of how a dental practice actually operates.
Built for the next stage of ownership
Whether you want to improve profitability, buy another practice or prepare eventually for sale, your accounts should support those decisions rather than simply meet filing deadlines.
Samera is led by Arun Mehra FCA, is listed in the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) directory and is a Xero Partner.
Technology built for practice owners
See more of what is happening inside your practice
Alongside our accountancy work, we have built Clever Practice tools to help practice owners get clearer visibility over performance, associate pay and missed revenue.
- Clever Performance: see profitability, EBITDA and clinician performance more clearly.
- Clever Pay: automate monthly associate pay and reduce spreadsheet work.
- Clever Growth: identify missed revenue, outstanding treatment and unused capacity.
How it works
Switching your dental practice accounts to Samera
- Book a free call: we’ll discuss your practice, current accounting setup and where you need more support.
- We handle the handover: if you’re switching accountants, we contact your previous accountant and arrange the transfer of records.
- We set up your systems: we configure Xero and your reporting structure around your dental practice, including the chart of accounts and tracking categories.
- Ongoing support from there: bookkeeping, accounts, tax and management reporting are handled on a rolling basis, with payroll, associate pay and other services added where needed.
Who this is for
We work with practice owners at every stage
Whether you have just bought your first practice or have been running one for years, we support practice owners at every stage of ownership.
- First-time practice owners
- Established practice owners
- NHS practices
- Private practices
- Mixed NHS and private practices
- Recently bought or started practices
- Practices preparing for sale
Client reviews
What our clients say about working with Samera
I am a dentist setting up my own private dental practice and Samera have been a great help as my accountants, giving lots of advice, especially in regards to all the complicated financial matters and tax … I have also attended the Samera ‘setting up a dental practice’ course and would definitely recommend this to friends and colleagues.
Imran, Dental practice owner – 5 Stars
Great team Honest valuable advice Sound knowledge of the dental Industry Thank you
J, Dentist – 5 Stars
Been with Samera since 2008 when we bought our first dental practice, their knowledge and expertise is second to none not least because they also own their own dental practices, putting them a unique position in terms of their knowledge and advice for the Dental Industry. Whether you’re setting up from scratch or acquiring an existing practice, Samera have been there to offer advice on raising finance, staff and team issues, tax knowledge, leadership and having a strong vision, marketing, getting into purchasing groups and also purchasing equipment. It’s been a pleasure to work with them and see how they’ve grown from humble beginnings, I don’t think you can find another accountancy service (they’re obviously much more than this) in the U.K
Saijel, Dental practice owner – 5 Stars
Who you’ll work with
Speak to our dental accountancy team
Book a free, no-obligation call directly with the team member whose work matches what you need.
Director of Operations – Accountancy and Tax
- Dental Accountancy and Tax for Practice Owners
- Management accounts
- Tax Saving Advice
- Systems and automation
Client Service Manager · Payroll and Pensions Lead
- Payroll Processing and PAYE Compliance
- Workplace Pensions and Auto-Enrolment
- HMRC Correspondence and Client Services
- Accountancy Client Support
Get in touch
Other ways to reach us
Prefer not to book a call? You can also get in touch directly or send a message and we’ll get back to you.
- Email: info@samera.co.uk
- Phone: (+44) 20 7100 8788
- WhatsApp: Message us on WhatsApp
Related services
Other ways Samera supports practice owners
Dental accountants
Samera’s full dental accountancy service, covering associates, practice owners and dental groups with specialist support across accounts, tax, reporting and financial management.
Tax planning for dental practices and groups
More advanced tax planning around Corporation Tax, remuneration, pensions, capital allowances, business structures and longer-term decisions such as acquisitions and future exits.
Payroll and pensions
Payroll, PAYE and workplace pension administration for dental practices, helping keep staff payments, HMRC reporting and pension obligations accurate and up to date.
Automated associate pay
Reduce spreadsheet work by automating associate pay calculations using practice-management and accounting data, including agreed pay rules, deductions and adjustments.
Making Tax Digital
Separate support with digital record keeping, Xero setup and quarterly MTD submissions for sole traders who fall within Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
Tax investigation cover
Cover for professional accountancy fees if HMRC opens an enquiry or investigation, giving you access to support without an unexpected advisory bill.
Financial Due Diligence
Independent financial analysis when buying a dental practice, helping you understand the numbers, identify risks and challenge assumptions before you complete the deal.
Accountants for Dental Groups
Specialist accountancy for owners moving beyond a single practice, including multi-site reporting and more complex support for groups with multiple legal entities.
Beyond accountancy
Looking to grow your dental practice?
If your priorities go beyond day-to-day accountancy, Samera can also help with the financial decisions that come with growing, funding or preparing a practice for its next stage.
- Growth Strategy Session: A focused review of your practice finances, performance and growth opportunities.
- CFO & Growth Advisory: Ongoing financial and strategic support for owners looking to grow more deliberately.
- Fee Review: Review your fees, margins and pricing to identify where profitability can improve.
- Cash Flow Forecasting: Understand future cash requirements and plan for investment, growth and tax.
- Dental Practice Finance: Funding support for acquisitions, equipment, refurbishments and expansion.
- Dental Practice Valuations: Understand what your practice is worth and what could increase its value.
Further reading
Guides to dental practice accounts and tax
Taxes for Dental Practice Owners: Corporation Tax, VAT, and Capital Allowances
Corporation Tax, the director’s loan account, VAT exemption, and capital allowances – the tax obligations that come with running a dental practice as a limited company.
Sole Trader, Partnership, or Limited Company: Choosing the Right Structure for Your Dental Practice
Compare Sole Trader, Partnership, and Limited Company structures for your dental practice. Learn how to minimise personal risk and maximise tax efficiency as you grow.
Payroll, Pensions and Staff Compliance for Dental Practices
PAYE, RTI, NHS pensions, auto-enrolment, and IR35 – the compliance obligations that come with employing staff and associates in a dental practice.
The Most Common Accounting and Tax Mistakes Dentists Make
Poor record-keeping, missed deadlines, mixed finances, wrong employment status – the 11 accounting and tax mistakes that cost UK dental practices the most.
Check out more dental accounting guides, articles and webinars in our Dental Accounting Learning Center.
Frequently asked questions
Dental practice owner accounts FAQs
How much does an accountant cost for a dental practice?
Samera’s Kick-Start package starts from £500/month + VAT and the Grow package from £650/month + VAT. The right package depends on your practice size, transaction volumes, reporting requirements and any additional services such as payroll, associate pay or VAT. Dental group accountancy starts from £950/month + VAT for eligible single-entity groups, with more complex structures priced separately.
What is the difference between a dental accountant and a general accountant for a practice owner?
A specialist dental accountant understands how dental practices actually operate, including associate pay, NHS and private income, lab costs, mixed VAT, payroll and the financial benchmarks that matter in dentistry. That context makes it easier to spot issues and give advice that goes beyond preparing year-end accounts.
Is it worth switching accountants for my dental practice?
It may be worth switching if you are only receiving year-end accounts and tax returns, your reporting is consistently late, or you are not getting enough financial insight to help you run the practice. A good accountant should give you clear, current information and be available when financial decisions need to be made.
Does my dental practice need management accounts?
For most established practices, management accounts are valuable because annual accounts arrive too late to help with day-to-day decisions. Monthly or quarterly management accounts can show how revenue, costs and profitability are changing while there is still time to act.
Samera provides quarterly management accounts with Kick-Start and monthly management accounts with Grow.
Can Samera help if I am thinking about selling my practice?
Yes. Good preparation often starts well before a practice goes to market. We can help you understand profitability, improve the quality of your financial reporting, review areas that may affect value and prepare the financial information a buyer is likely to examine.
Samera also provides separate dental practice valuation and practice sales services when you are ready to move towards a transaction.
How long does it take to switch my practice accounts to Samera?
The timing depends on your current accountant, how quickly records can be transferred and the complexity of your practice. Samera handles the professional handover with your previous accountant and then sets up your bookkeeping, reporting and accountancy systems so the transition is as straightforward as possible.
Speak to an accountant who actually understands running a dental practice
Book a free 30-minute call with Natasha or the team. We’ll review your current setup, explain where we think improvements can be made and give you a clear picture of what working with Samera would cost.