BreakThru Realty

How to Buy a Dental Practice in Florida

In Florida a dental practice can generally be owned only by licensed dentists, so the first question is whether you can own it at all. After that, a practice is worth what its patients and collections will be after the selling dentist leaves: verify both, and plan the transition as carefully as the price.

Reviewed by Tyson E. Sam, Founder and Broker of Record, BreakThru Realty, Florida License 3565210

Last reviewed November 1, 2026

Who May Own a Practice

Section 466.0285 of the Florida Statutes restricts who may own or control a dental practice, with limited exceptions. A buyer who is not a Florida licensed dentist needs a healthcare attorney to confirm what structure is lawful before signing a letter of intent. Dental service organizations work under management agreements that must respect the same rules.

Collections, Not Production

Production is what the practice billed; collections are what it received. Ask for three years of collections by month, the payer mix (fee for service, PPO, Medicaid and HMO plans), the write offs, and the accounts receivable aging. A practice that bills well but collects poorly is worth less than its production suggests. Compare collections with the tax returns and the bank deposits.

Active Patients and the Hygiene Schedule

Ask how many patients were seen in the last eighteen to twenty four months, how many new patients arrive each month and from where, and how full the hygiene schedule is. Hygiene recall is the practice's recurring revenue and feeds restorative work. A practice that depends on the selling dentist's specialty procedures may lose them when the dentist leaves.

Staff and the Provider Transition

Patients stay with people they know. Find out how long the hygienists, assistants and front desk team have been there, what they are paid, and whether associate dentists will stay. Agree how long the selling dentist will work after closing, how patients will be introduced, and the scope and length of the seller's non compete under Florida law.

Equipment, Software and Records

List the operatories, chairs, imaging, sterilization, the practice management software and its data, with age and service history. Patient records must be transferred and kept under Florida and federal privacy rules, and the buyer becomes their custodian. Credentialing with insurance plans does not transfer automatically; start the new owner's credentialing early, because collections pause without it.

The Lease and the Location

A dental office is expensive to build out, so the lease term, renewal options and assignment clause matter a great deal. Lenders usually want the lease, with options, to cover the loan term. If the dentist owns the building, consider buying it or signing a long lease at a market rent set before closing.

Financing and the Offer

Practice acquisitions are often financed by lenders that specialize in healthcare. SBA 7(a) financing is open only to buyers whose owners are all U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals living in the United States (since March 1, 2026), with an equity injection of at least ten percent of the project cost; other buyers use cash, seller financing or a conventional loan. Consult a lender about your eligibility. The offer should cover the price, the seller's working period, the non compete, the treatment of accounts receivable and work in progress, and what happens if key staff leave.

Professional ownership rules are a legal question: confirm them with a Florida healthcare attorney.

Businesses for Sale That Fit This Guide

Live MLS listings asking $240,000 or more, matched to this guide by their industry. Asking prices and income figures are as the listing brokers report them.

Medical and dental practices for sale in Florida

Talk to a Business Broker

A licensed BreakThru Realty business broker can read the lease, the financials and the listing with you before you make an offer. Call or text (786) 914-1017, or start your acquisition plan: a broker reviews your budget, industry and timing and replies with the businesses that fit.

Planning the Sale of Your Dental Practice?

Dentists and dental groups buying a practice look at collections, active patients, the hygiene schedule, the equipment and how the transition is handled. A broker can review your practice confidentially against what buyers working with BreakThru Realty have asked for, and plan a transition that keeps patients and staff with the practice.

Over 300 business buyers are already working with BreakThru Realty, seeking acquisitions across Florida. Before you list, a broker reviews what you own, the market around it and whether an existing buyer's requirements match. If none does, you see how we would position it to reach other qualified buyers.

Find Out If We Have a Buyer · Discuss Selling With BreakThru Realty

A potential match is a conversation, not an offer, until the buyer sees your property and makes one. No buyer is named and nothing about your property or business is shared until you decide to proceed.

Questions Buyers Ask

Can someone who is not a dentist buy a dental practice in Florida?
Generally no: Florida law restricts ownership and control of a dental practice to licensed dentists, with limited exceptions. A healthcare attorney confirms what structure is lawful for your situation before you make an offer.
What financial records should I ask for when buying a dental practice?
Three years of tax returns, collections and production by month and by provider, the payer mix, the accounts receivable aging, the fee schedule, the payroll, the lease, and the active patient count with new patients per month.
How long should the selling dentist stay after the sale?
Long enough to introduce patients and staff to the new owner; the length is negotiated. Patients who meet the buyer through the seller are more likely to stay.

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