Accountants for Dentists in Cheslyn Hay: Specialist Tax, Accounting and Payroll Support

As an associate you are usually responsible for your own tax return, even though the practice may handle some administrative tasks on your behalf. That means keeping records of your sessions, day rates or percentage splits, along with any expenses you incur personally, such as indemnity cover, registration fees, travel between sites or equipment you buy for your own use. We prepare your Self Assessment return from those records, check that claims are properly supported, and help you plan for the tax that will fall due so the bill does not arrive as a surprise. Where you also have employed income, dividends or a share of practice profits, all of it is brought together in one return.

NHS contract income still has to be reported correctly, and the mechanics of UDA-based payments, contract adjustments and practice-level costs are quite different from a straightforward salary. If you are a principal or practice owner, you may also be dealing with payroll, premises costs, equipment and VAT on top of the contract income itself. Even where your affairs are relatively simple, an accountant can help with the classification of expenses, the timing of income and the choice of business structure.

For income tax purposes both are generally treated as trading or professional income, but the way they are recorded, invoiced and reconciled can be very different in practice. NHS contract payments may arrive on a schedule that does not match treatment dates, while private fees, laboratory charges and material costs tend to move in and out much faster. Keeping those streams distinct in your bookkeeping makes it far easier to see how the practice is actually performing and to support the figures shown in your accounts and returns.

Yes, and this is one of the most common situations we see. A dentist might combine associate sessions, a part-time hospital or community post, locum shifts and a share of practice profits, all in the same tax year. Each source can carry its own rules on expenses and reporting, so the figures need to be brought together carefully rather than treated in isolation. We map out where each element belongs and prepare a single return that reflects the full picture.

A partnership generally means each partner reports their share of profits through Self Assessment, with a partnership tax return filed alongside it and no separate Corporation Tax charge on the business itself. A limited company is a separate legal entity, so it files annual accounts and a Corporation Tax return, and directors are usually paid through a combination of salary and dividends, which brings its own reporting obligations. The right structure can depend on profit levels, how many principals are involved, plans to sell or bring in new partners, and how much you want to withdraw from the practice.

We can handle payroll for practice staff, which often includes dental nurses, hygienists, therapists, receptionists, practice managers and associates employed rather than self-employed. That work typically covers payslips, Real Time Information submissions, statutory payments, pension auto-enrolment duties and the year-end reporting that follows. We also keep the payroll figures aligned with your accounts so that employment costs are reflected accurately and any amounts owed to HMRC are clear in advance.

It helps to keep a clear record of treatment and contract income, private fee statements, laboratory and materials invoices, staff costs, equipment purchases, premises expenses, insurance and professional subscriptions. Bank statements and card transactions should be reconciled regularly rather than left until the year end, because gaps are much harder to resolve months later. For VAT-registered practices, keeping sales and purchase records tidy also makes return preparation quicker and reduces the risk of corrections further down the line.

Usually we ask for your most recent set of accounts and tax returns, details of your current business structure, and access to your bookkeeping or accounting records if they are held digitally. It also helps to know whether there are any outstanding returns, HMRC correspondence or VAT matters in progress, so nothing is missed during the handover. Once we have sight of the position, we can explain what needs to be done and how the ongoing work would be organised.