Accountants for Dentists in Bexley: Specialist Tax and Accounting Support for Dental Professionals

If you are a self-employed associate dentist, a principal dentist in a partnership or a sole practitioner, you will usually need to report your income through Self Assessment. The return needs to reflect all taxable income, which for many dentists includes fees from more than one practice alongside any other earnings. Keeping accurate records throughout the year makes the return far easier to prepare and reduces the risk of errors or omissions. If you work entirely as an employee, your position may be different, and it is worth confirming how your particular contract is treated.

An associate dentist is generally treated as self-employed and pays tax and National Insurance through Self Assessment on the profits of that work. A practice owner trading through a limited company is subject to a different framework, with annual accounts, Corporation Tax returns and company payroll obligations, and directors typically take a combination of salary and dividends. The two arrangements also differ in how expenses, equipment and profits are treated, so the right approach depends on your structure rather than the profession alone.

Yes. Mixed NHS and private income is common in dental practice, and it needs to be recorded in a way that distinguishes the different streams clearly. We can help set up bookkeeping that captures each source separately, reconcile payments received from NHS bodies and private patients, and make sure the figures feeding into your accounts or tax return are accurate. Where a practice provides both NHS and private treatments, the record keeping behind the practice accounts should reflect that split.

A range of costs may be allowable depending on your working arrangements, such as professional indemnity cover, registration and professional body subscriptions, continuing professional development, laboratory fees and certain equipment. Whether a specific cost can be claimed, and how it should be treated, depends on the nature of the expense and whether it is incurred wholly and exclusively for your work. Capital items such as surgery equipment may be handled differently from day-to-day running costs, and we can review your spending to clarify the position.

We can support dental practices with payroll for their teams, which may include associates paid through the practice, hygienists, therapists, dental nurses, receptionists and practice managers. This typically covers calculating pay, handling deductions, producing payslips and dealing with the reporting obligations that come with employing staff. Because employment costs form a significant part of practice overheads, keeping payroll accurate and up to date also helps with budgeting and management information.

VAT treatment in dentistry is not identical across every service. Some treatments fall within an exemption while others, including certain cosmetic or non-clinical items, may be treated differently. The position can also be affected by other income the practice receives, such as sales of goods or room hire. Because the rules depend on the nature of what is supplied, it is worth reviewing your activities carefully rather than assuming a single approach applies to everything.

Switching accountants is usually a straightforward process. Once you decide to move, we can liaise with your existing accountant to obtain the records and information needed, including prior accounts, tax returns and bookkeeping data. The main thing is to have your financial records reasonably organised and to let us know about any upcoming deadlines so nothing is missed during the transition. If your year end is approaching, it helps to plan the move around that date.

It helps to see your contracts or associate agreements, details of the practices you work with, your income records, business bank statements, details of expenses such as indemnity and subscriptions, and any previous accounts or tax returns. If you employ staff, payroll information and employment details will also be needed. Providing a clear picture of how you work — NHS, private or a mix — allows us to recommend the most suitable approach for your accounting, bookkeeping and tax affairs.