Scottish Dental Care makes flagship acquisitions in Scotland’s capital
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 27th June 2022
Scottish Dental Care has announced the flagship acquisition of two dental practices in Edinburgh, following a multi-million-pound minority investment from BGF – the UK and Ireland’s most active growth capital investor – in February 2022.
The family-owned Scottish Dental Care acquired the St John’s Road and East Craigs dental practices from Dr Hew Mathewson CBE and his family, who had established them over a 45-year period.
These successful new acquisitions will complement the 15 dental practices that Scottish Dental Care operates across Scotland. In a series of firsts, they mark both the strategic expansion of the brand into Scotland’s capital and the first deployment of the recent growth funding from BGF.
Scottish Dental Care was founded in 2016 by brothers Philip and Christopher Friel. It offers a full range of NHS, private and cosmetic dental treatments, including all aspects of dental implant and reconstructive dentistry, together with short term orthodontics and facial aesthetic treatments across its clinics.
Christopher and Phil
BGF is a long-term investor, making initial investments between £1 million to £15 million for a minority equity stake. The investment in Scottish Dental Care in February 2022 came off the back of a record year for BGF in Scotland, having invested close to £60 million in a diverse range of sectors, from technology and healthcare to consumer goods.
Christopher Friel, Managing Director of Scottish Dental Care, said: “Acquiring these practices represents a continuation of our growth plans, with the extension of our Advanced Dentistry brand into Edinburgh. We are proud to take forward the legacy developed by Dr Mathewson over the years, and we look forward to working with the fantastic practice teams as we progress on that journey.
“BGF’s investment earlier this year helped enable these acquisitions and we look forward to future growth. We have benefitted immensely from the team’s input and strategic expertise.”
Dr Hew Mathewson CBE, Founder of St. Johns Road and East Craigs Dental Practices, said:
“Scottish Dental Care and its family ownership through Christopher and Phil represent the best of both the dental industry and family businesses in Scotland. I am confident that they are the perfect fit to take over our high-quality Edinburgh practices, built up over 45 years.”
Chris Nixon, Investor at BGF, said: “We are delighted that our investment has helped Scottish Dental Care to gain a strategic foothold in Scotland’s capital through the acquisition of two high quality clinics. We are excited about what the future holds for the Group and will continue to support them on this growth journey.”
About Scottish Dental Care
Scottish Dental Care is a clinically led and patient focused dental provider, offering high quality dental care to its patients across Scotland. It offers a full range of NHS, private and cosmetic dental treatments, including all aspects of dental implant and reconstructive dentistry, together with short term orthodontics and facial aesthetic treatments across its clinics.
The company was founded in 2016 by brothers Philip and Christopher Friel and now operates 17 dental practices across Scotland, with plans to expand further.
About BGF
BGF was set up in 2011 and has invested over £3bn in more than 450 companies, making it the most active growth capital investor in the UK. BGF is a minority, non-controlling equity partner with a patient outlook on investments, based on shared long-term goals with the management teams it backs. BGF invests in growing businesses in the UK and Ireland through its network of 16 offices. In 2018, Canada launched its equivalent – the Canadian Business Growth Fund – and in 2020, Australia did the same, both based on BGF’s approach and funding model.
