Whether you own a dental practice, work as an associate, or provide care as a therapist or hygienist, the financial side of dentistry has its own set of challenges that a general accountant will not always understand. We work with dental professionals at every level, from practice principals managing NHS contracts and a team of staff, through to associates and therapists who are self-employed and doing their own tax return for the first time.
The services we provide depend on your role, but these are the areas we most commonly support dental professionals with.
We prepare your annual accounts and self-assessment or corporation tax return, claim every allowable expense, and make sure you are not paying a penny more than you need to.
Dental practices have a mix of VAT exempt and taxable income. We make sure your VAT returns reflect this correctly each quarter, so you stay compliant and do not end up with an unexpected bill.
We run payroll for your employed staff and help you handle associate payments correctly, including the treatment of associate fees for tax purposes.
From professional indemnity and GDC registration fees through to CPD costs and equipment, we make sure you claim everything you are entitled to and nothing gets missed.
We help associates, therapists and hygienists decide whether to stay as a sole trader or set up a limited company, based on your actual income and circumstances rather than a generic answer.
We prepare your year-end financial statements accurately and on time, whether you are a sole trader completing a self-assessment or a limited company filing with Companies House.
All your compliance taken care of so no HMRC deadline is ever missed
A tax bill that accurately reflects your situation with no nasty surprises
Someone to call when you have a question, whatever stage of your career you are at
We work with you throughout the year, not just when a deadline is approaching
Clear advice on structuring your income and expenses to keep more of what you earn
NHS income for dental practices is calculated through the Unit of Dental Activity (UDA) system, which creates its own accounting and reporting requirements. Private income, plan fees and cosmetic treatment all sit alongside this and need to be recorded and reported differently. Associates and self-employed clinicians also need to navigate IR35 rules in some circumstances, and many are unaware of the expenses they can legitimately claim against their income.
A general accountant unfamiliar with dentistry will often overlook these details. That can mean paying too much tax, missing deadlines, or ending up with accounts that do not accurately reflect how the practice works. We make sure none of that happens.
Something we often see: associates and hygienists who have been filing their own tax returns and not claiming half the expenses they are entitled to. Professional fees, travel between practices, equipment and clothing costs, and home office use can all reduce your tax bill — but only if someone knows to include them.
Practices with a mix of NHS, private and cosmetic income also need their VAT position reviewed regularly, since the exempt and taxable split can shift as the treatment mix changes.
Beyond accounts and VAT, this is where a specialist dental accountant earns their fee.
CQC-aware financial reporting for practice owners managing NHS contract income, private fee income, associate payments and staff costs together.
Associate self-employment set-up, including first-time HMRC registration, payments-on-account planning and IR35 status reviews where an engagement carries more risk.
Mixed VAT treatment for practices combining exempt clinical work with taxable cosmetic treatments and retail products such as whitening kits and electric toothbrushes.
GDC registration fees, indemnity insurance and CPD costs identified and claimed correctly across associates, therapists and hygienists.
Sole trader versus limited company structuring for therapists and hygienists working across multiple practices.
Our packages for associates, therapists and hygienists start at £45/month, covering self-assessment, expense claims and ongoing support. Practice owner packages — year-end accounts, corporation tax, quarterly VAT, monthly bookkeeping and payroll for up to 5 staff — start at £225/month for a single practice doing up to £400k turnover, with multi-site practices typically £450–£950/month. Fixed fee, no hourly surprises.
Xero as the core ledger, feeding from your practice management system (Dentally, Software of Excellence, EXACT or Kodak) for daily NHS UDA and private takings. If you are on spreadsheets or an older system, we handle the migration end-to-end with no disruption to the practice.
Most clinical dentistry is VAT exempt, but cosmetic treatments such as teeth whitening, and retail items such as electric toothbrushes or whitening kits, are taxable. We track this split accurately each quarter so your VAT return reflects the correct treatment and you never end up under- or over-declaring.
Most associates are genuinely self-employed under the standard NHS/BDA associate agreement, but some engagements — particularly where a practice exercises a lot of control — can fall inside IR35. We review your contract and working arrangement and advise accordingly.
It depends on your income level and how many practices you work at. We look at your actual numbers rather than giving a generic answer, and can set up a limited company for you if it is the right move.
We handle the whole process — contacting your current accountant, requesting your records (including practice NHS/UDA data), and registering with HMRC as your agent. Most switches complete within two to three weeks and there is no gap in your compliance.
Yes. R&R is regulated by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). All work is signed off by an ACCA-qualified accountant.
Our head office is in Blackburn, and we work with dental professionals in Preston, Burnley, Accrington, Chorley, Leyland, Bolton, Wigan, Bury and Manchester. Being cloud-based means location rarely matters — most of our dental clients handle everything remotely between appointments — but face-to-face meetings are available at our Blackburn office when you want them.
Related specialities: Accountants for doctors · Accountants for opticians · Accountants for pharmacies · Accountants for locums · VAT returns & MTD · Payroll & CIS
Book a free consultation. We’ll review your last VAT return, your associate payment set-up and your management accounts, and give you three concrete things to change — whether or not you switch to us. Call 01254 839543 or book online.
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74 St James Road, Blackburn, BB1 8ET
We work with clients in Blackburn and across the North West, so you can get support wherever you are.
