Green Light for Dental Merger
The Office of Fair Trading has given the green light for two dental firms to merge, after the owners agreed to sell eleven of their practices to adhere to competition guidelines.
The OFT has accepted proposals from The Carlyle Group and Palamon Capital Partners to merge. The firms will now take over 325 practices owned by Integrated Dental Holdings in Bolton and 130 practices that were previously owned by Associated Dental Practices, a firm based in Surrey.
The merger took place last May but there were concerns about competition. However, the chains have now sold eleven practices and the OFT is happy for the merger to be completed. The issue will now not be referred to the Competition Commission.
The firms were advised to sell eleven practices in areas where there were concerns about competition. The practices, which all offer NHS dental care, are located in Barnstaple, Yeovil, Sandwich, Ramsgate, Aldershot and Taunton.
Amelia Fletcher, from the OFT and chief economist on this case, said that selling the eleven practices offers protection for NHS dental patients and added that the OFT has been working closely with the relevant Primary Care Trusts to ensure that competition is fair.
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