A dental group with one of the largest NHS contracts in the country has been bought by two colleagues following seven-figure finance from Unity Trust Bank.

Dr Kuldipsinh Gohil and Dr Jasmin Thoria used a £5.6m loan to buy Sterling Dental Group in Southall, which predominantly serves South Asian and Somalian communities.

The practice’s 18-strong team of dentists are all from diverse backgrounds which helps break down language barriers and encourages patients to look after their oral health.

Dr Gohil, who also owns practices in Somerset and Wales, said: “The Sterling practice is the first of its kind. Our staff understand South Asian lifestyles because they are from similar backgrounds and people feel comfortable coming here and communicating with us.

“This is particularly important for second generation families who have tended to have a phobia of dentists. We also do a lot of work with children about the importance of oral hygiene.

“Dr Thoria and I had been working at Sterling for five years and when it came on the market we knew we wanted to buy it. It’s a people-friendly organisation with a nice structure and we want to continue to be as accessible as possible.

“We spoke to a few lenders but we really liked Paul Kelly, our relationship manager at Unity. His approach was different from the others. He wasn’t just looking at us as a business; he wanted to help and support us which was quite unique.

“We take a holistic approach to our patient care and Unity’s approach to business is similar. They were positive and made the whole process easy. We wouldn’t get that support from anyone else.”

Sterling, which is contracted to carry out specialist treatments for the whole of north west London, also operates a private dental clinic as well as a training centre.

Six new jobs have been created at Sterling since the buyout and there are plans to link with universities to develop more student opportunities at the group’s training centre, which is also in Southall. It currently supports around 280 student placements a year.

Paul Kelly, Relationship Manager at Unity Trust Bank, said: “We only lend to like-minded organisations that share our values, so we were delighted to support the acquisition of Sterling Dental Group.
“The operators have a deep connection with the local community and this was evident when visiting the surgeries on multiple occasions.

“From understanding residents’ needs and actively promoting better oral health, to creating new jobs and training opportunities, Sterling is having a positive impact in Southall.”