Oral surgery practices for sale

What to check before buying an oral surgery practice

Most oral surgery patients arrive by referral, and the work depends on credentials that belong to the surgeon, not the practice. Before you make an offer, check these:

• Referral concentration. New patients by referring office for the last two years. A practice that depends on a handful of general dentists needs a planned introduction from the seller.
• Anesthesia permits. In most states a dentist needs a permit from the state dental board to provide deep sedation or general anesthesia, and it's issued to the dentist, not the practice. Maine's board calls the permit non-transferable, so plan on holding your own. Some states, such as Florida, also tie the permit to a practice location and inspect the office, so ask whether this office will need a new inspection before you can sedate patients there. Separately, AAOMS requires members' offices to pass a peer anesthesia evaluation, generally every five years.
• The procedure mix. Extractions and third molars, implants and bone grafting, pathology and any hospital or trauma call. Hospital privileges and call arrangements are personal to the seller, so ask how much revenue depends on them.
• Equipment. The age and service history of the CBCT, the anesthesia monitors and the emergency equipment.

Our guide to finding a practice to buy covers the rest of the search.