Specialist business property advisor, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of one of the largest and most established group of dental companies in the UK, based in the heart of ‘Little India’ in Southall, West London. The business, trading as Sterling Dental Group, comprises five separate components—a large NHS practice, a private clinic, an NHS Sedation centre, a dental college, and a charitable foundation.
The practices serve over 50,000 patients from across the diverse community of Southall and its surrounding area. White House Dental Practice offers NHS dentistry whilst Sterling Dental Centre offers both NHS and advanced private treatments including a range of specialisms.
Sterling Dental Group included the first centre in the UK to provide specialist services in dentistry on the NHS at a time when there were no specialist registers at the General Dental Council.
In May 2014, Sterling established its own college—The Sterling Dental College, which is closely related to the Sterling Private Clinic and was set up to offer an integrated academic and clinical approach to dentistry, accredited by the British Accreditation Council and the Sterling Foundation—a charity raising funds in the UK and India to directly support and raise awareness of oral health.
The college was inaugurated by the patron of the Sterling Dental Foundation Charity, Professor Nairn H F Wilson (CBE Dsc (h.c.) FDS FFGDP FFD FKC, Emeritus Professor of Dentistry. The Centre is unique in that referring dentists can accompany their patients to gain hands-on experience. It is proud to be working with BPP University, (the world’s largest private university), The City of London Dental School, and the European Dental and Medical Institute.
Since 2019, Sterling Dental Centre has been an affiliated and an accredited partner dental practice for University College London.
The business has been owned for many years by well-known dentist and local businessman, Amarjit Khambay, who has long been an advocate of better oral education in the community. Amarjit recently decided to sell to retire from the sector.
Following a confidential sales process with Christie & Co, which generated multiple, high calibre offers, the group has sold to a consortium of investors led by Dr Kuldipsinh Gohil, an existing practice owner who was part of the clinical team working at the two practices. The sale to Kuldipsinh ensured the best continuity of patient care and an easy transition for the staff and clinical team.
“It has been a privilege to own and develop the Sterling Group over the years and help improve the oral health of the community in Southall,” commented Amarjit Khambay, former owner at Sterling Dental Group. “I know that the practices are in good hands and will go from strength to strength under my good friend Kuldip’s leadership. I wish all the patients and staff there the very best for the future.”
“It is our immense pleasure to have acquired the Sterling Group from Dr Khambay,” commented Dr. Kuldipsinh Gohil. “We have been working here for last seven years and feel that we know the ethos of the business and what is expected from our patients. We shall continue to serve the community with the same values of our predecessor.”
“We were delighted to have acted for the family in the sale of this prominent and well-respected dental business which is the heart of the community,” said Simon Hughes, managing director of medical at Christie & Co, who handled the sale. “Even in these more challenging times, it confirms that there are always buyers for quality dental practices, and we wish the new team well for the future.”
Sterling Dental Group was sold for an undisclosed price.
Legal advice for the vendors was provided by the team led by Faisal Dhalla at Hempsons. For the buyers, legal advice was provided by Paul Shinwell at Abrahams Dresden. The buyers were supported in the acquisition by Unity Trust Bank.
