Filling the gaps: two Scottish dental businesses seal takeovers

A Perthshire dental firm founded by a Scottish young dentist of the year has invested more than £1 million to swallow two businesses, expanding its portfolio to seven practices.

Infinityblu Dental Care and Implant Clinic was founded in Pitlochry in 2007 by Chris Barrowman.

Following the acquisition of Duns Dental Practice and Callander Dental Practice it now has a foothold in three counties, with an eighth practice also in the pipeline, in the village of Killin.

Investments totalling £2.6m in the past three years mean that the expanding dental group now looks after some 30 000 NHS and private patients.

Chris Barrowman has overseen careful acquisitions to build the Infinityblu presence in the Scottish dental market.

Barrowman said: “It is a really exciting time for the company and the staff. Our initial base has been Perthshire but we have always looked at other areas with similar demographics and populations; market-type towns with strong communities.”

Meanwhile, a Glasgow-based dental business has acquired its sixth surgery in a bid to further expand its footprint, with support from Bank of Scotland.

Smart Dental Holdings is managed by clinical director Michael Tang and his business partner Summon Ramzan. The business, which was founded in 2014, has acquired Birchfield Dental Practice with the help of a six-figure funding package from Bank of Scotland.

Tang said: “At Smart Dental, we are keen to find new growth opportunities and are always on the lookout for quality practices across Scotland with high growth potential.

“The pandemic has been an exceptionally disruptive time for Scottish dentistry. With the takeover now complete, we’re addressing any backlog that emerged over the past year or so.”

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