One of the London stock market’s best-known private equity firms is close to snapping up MyDentist, the UK’s biggest provider of NHS dental services.
Sky News has learnt that Bridgepoint, which owns companies such as Itsu, the Japanese fast-food chain, was on Thursday night close to signing a definitive deal to acquire the business for an enterprise value of between £750m and £800m.
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If confirmed, it could be announced as soon as Friday morning, according to industry insiders.
A subsidiary of Integrated Dental Holdings, MyDentist operates from about 600 practices across the UK, and has been owned by Palamon Capital Partners since 2021.
One source said the deal with Bridgepoint was expected to generate a threefold return to Palamon.
The company was previously owned by Carlyle, another major global private equity investor.
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The auction of MyDentist, which has been handled by bankers at Morgan Stanley, has taken place during a renewed period of scrutiny about the accessibility of NHS dental services across Britain.
Bridgepoint is already an experienced investor in the sector, having bought Oasis, a dental care provider, for £185m before selling it for more than £800m in 2016.
A number of smaller rivals to MyDentist are preparing to change hands in the coming months.
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Bridgepoint, which has previously explored a takeover of MyDentist, declined to comment, while Palamon could not be contacted for comment.
