Accountants for Dentists in Croydon: Tax and Accounting Support for Dental Professionals

It depends on how you work. For an associate or self-employed dentist, the main work is usually Self Assessment, pulling together fee statements, practice deductions, professional expenses and any other income to arrive at your taxable profit. For a principal or practice owner, it can extend to annual accounts, Corporation Tax or partnership returns, payroll for the practice team, bookkeeping and VAT. Most dentists want a single point of contact who already understands dental income, rather than an accountant who has to be taught how an associate's payment schedule or an NHS contract operates.

In many cases, yes. Associates are usually treated as self-employed for tax purposes even though fees are processed through the practice, which generally means completing a Self Assessment tax return each year, reporting gross fees and claiming allowable expenses such as indemnity cover, professional subscriptions, GDC fees, CPD and a proportion of travel or administrative costs where relevant. The position can differ if you are engaged under a different type of contract, so it is worth having your specific arrangement reviewed.

NHS contract payments and private treatment fees are recorded separately so that income figures are accurate and any adjustments, clawbacks or laboratory charges are reflected properly. For VAT, the treatment can depend on the nature of the supplies involved, because some dental services may fall outside the scope or be exempt while other goods and services may be treated differently. We look at your particular mix of work rather than applying a blanket rule to every practice.

Yes. Practice payroll typically covers receptionists, dental nurses, hygienists, therapists, practice managers and any salaried dentists. We can run payroll on an ongoing basis, calculate PAYE and National Insurance, process starters and leavers, and deal with pension auto-enrolment duties where they apply to your practice. Keeping payroll and the year-end accounts in the same place often makes it easier to reconcile wage costs with the figures that feed into your annual accounts.

There is no single answer, because the right structure depends on your profits, how many principals or partners are involved, whether you are buying or expanding a practice, and how you want to take money out. A limited company can produce different tax and National Insurance outcomes in some circumstances, while a partnership may suit two or more dentists sharing a practice. We can talk through the practical and tax implications of each option and how a change of structure would affect your accounts and filings.

Most dentists keep fee statements or payment schedules from each practice, bank and credit card statements, invoices for indemnity cover, GDC and professional body subscriptions, CPD records, equipment and materials receipts, and details of any locum or practice-related costs. If you run a practice, you will also hold supplier invoices, payroll records, premises costs and finance agreements. Good record keeping through the year tends to make Self Assessment and annual accounts quicker and less stressful than reconstructing everything at the end.

We ask for your permission to contact your current accountant, then request the information needed to take over, typically the last set of accounts, tax returns and details of any outstanding filings or HMRC correspondence. We review what has been filed, identify anything still outstanding, and let you know what records we need from you. The process is usually straightforward, and we can deal with HMRC on your behalf once the change is complete.

Only some dentists and dental practices need to register. Registration depends on your taxable turnover and on what your supplies actually are, because many dental treatment services are exempt from VAT while other goods and services may be standard-rated. If you are approaching the registration threshold, or you already have a mix of NHS, private and laboratory work, it is worth reviewing the position before you register or change how you invoice. We can look at your figures and explain the options available to you.