The lawyers at the National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants & Lawyers (NASDAL) have created a standard contract for the sale and purchase of dental practices with the aim of reducing stress for dentists on both sides of a negotiation. From 2012, any sale agreement with a NASDAL lawyer on both sides should be completed more easily.

Buying and selling a dental practice has become a time-consuming and unpredictable process which can typically take up to five months, due to banks being slower and more cautious and because dealing with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is causing long delays. By creating a standard contract, NASDAL lawyers hope to take several weeks off the process as well as reduce the legal costs.

Clients' wishes will always be respected by NASDAL and essential features such as maintenance contracts, pressure vessel testing insurance certificates, hepatitis B certificates and the myriad other essential aspects of a sale will be there in the contract from the start.

Reader response number 55