SMILE TOGETHER EXPANDS FOR COMMUNITY BENEFIT
Smile Together has acquired an established dental prosthetic business to expand its range of patient services and ability to plough profits back into its local community.
The Truro-based community interest company (CIC) has purchased Dental Prosthetic Solutions (DPS), a laboratory at the Health & Wellbeing Innovation Centre in Treliske, dedicated to the design and manufacture of removable prosthodontic appliances for dentists and patients. The deal sees Smile Together purchase the business from founder Dominic Kavanagh with its existing three staff remaining in place.
The DPS brand will remain and becomes a subsidiary of Smile Together, joining its West Country Dental Care and Brighter Dental services operating out of 14 centres across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Smile Together currently employs over 100 staff, won ‘Employer of the Year’ at the Cornwall Business Awards 2017, and is an employee-owned social enterprise.
Dominic Kavanagh explained: “In selling to a highly-regarded CIC and employer, I am very confident that DPS has the structure and expertise to grow further. The business is in very good hands and I wish everyone well for the future.”
Commenting on the deal, Paul Critchley, Managing Director at Smile Together, said: “We’re very pleased welcome the DPS team to Smile Together and bring its impressive range of products and services into our offer. This deal will benefit both our NHS and private patients whilst all profits generated will be reinvested back into skilled staff, new equipment and community projects.”
Recently Smile Together used profits generated from its services to hire a mobile dental unit from the charity Dent Aid to reach out to people who have difficulty accessing dental care. Its team of volunteers travelled over 1500 miles across Cornwall to provide check ups, treatment and oral cancer screenings to homeless people, refugees and fisherman across Cornwall who have difficulty accessing dental care.
Smile Together was advised on the deal by lawyers Burchill GC and Kitsons, plus accountants Bishop Fleming.
