# What happens when a dentist retires without a buyer? When no buyer emerges, an owner can close the practice, which the ADA describes as informing patients and authorities, reviewing state rules on record retention and notice, and protecting patient records. Duties to patients continue afterward: HIPAA requires a covered entity to act on a record-access request within 30 days, and the ADA suggests keeping adult patient records for 10 years after the last visit. By DDSIntel Editorial. Source: DDSIntel, https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/closing-a-dental-practice. Published 2026-10-26; data as of 2026-10-25. ## Key numbers - **30** days to act on a patient’s request for access to records (U.S. HHS, 45 CFR 164.524 (via Cornell Legal Information Institute), 45 CFR 164.524; https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/45/164.524) - **10** years after the last visit, the ADA’s suggested retention for adult patient records (ADA Health Policy Institute, 2026; https://www.ada.org/resources/practice/practice-management/record-destruction) - **68.7** average retirement age of U.S. dentists (ADA Health Policy Institute, 2024; https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dentist-workforce) - **15.2%** of U.S. dentists were 65 or older (ADA Health Policy Institute, 2025; https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dentist-workforce) ## What are the options when an owner retires without a buyer? An owner can look for an associate who may buy in, widen the search to other dentists and dental support organizations, keep practicing longer, or close. The ADA advises getting an attorney, accountant or practice valuator’s advice on whether to close or sell. [Exit options](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/exit-options) compares each route, within the wider [practice lifecycle](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle). ## What steps does closing a dental practice involve? The ADA’s closing guidance lists getting professional advice, notifying the professional liability carrier, reviewing state law on record retention and on notifying patients and employees, deciding what to do with equipment and supplies, and informing patients and authorities. Requirements differ by state, so an owner should confirm them with the state dental board and counsel. ## What happens to patient records when a practice closes? Records duties continue. HIPAA requires a covered entity to act on a patient’s access request within 30 days, and the ADA suggests treating state retention rules as a minimum and keeping adult patient records for 10 years after the last visit. See [patient records in a sale or closure](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/patient-records-in-a-sale) for custody and access. ## How does a closure appear in public records? A closure can leave a license moving to inactive or retired status and an entity dissolution or lapse. DDSIntel reads such events only in aggregate as [dental transition signals](https://ddsintel.com/signals). One record shows an event, not a reason, and [a signal is not a sale](https://ddsintel.com/signals/signal-is-not-a-sale). Related guides: [how an associate becomes an owner](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/associate-to-owner), [how to start a dental practice](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/starting-a-practice), [what drives practice value](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/value-drivers). The age profile behind retirements is in [dentist retirement statistics](https://ddsintel.com/data/dentist-retirement-statistics). This page is general information, not legal advice. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I have to tell patients if I close my practice? The ADA lists informing patients and authorities as a closing task; notice rules vary by state, so check with the state board and counsel. ### How long must patient records be kept after closing? State law sets the minimum. The ADA suggests considering 10 years after an adult patient’s last visit. ### Can patients still get their records after a closure? Yes. HIPAA’s right of access continues, with a 30-day response deadline for a covered entity. ### Is closing the only option without a buyer? No. An associate buy-in, a merger or a longer working life can be alternatives; see [succession planning](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/succession-planning). ## Sources 1. American Dental Association. What to do when closing a practice. https://www.ada.org/resources/practice/practice-management/what-to-do-when-closing-a-practice 2. American Dental Association. Record destruction. https://www.ada.org/resources/practice/practice-management/record-destruction 3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (regulation text via Cornell Legal Information Institute). 45 CFR 164.524, Access of individuals to protected health information. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/45/164.524 4. ADA Health Policy Institute. The dentist workforce. https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dentist-workforce --- DDSIntel is a dental transition intelligence platform that detects pre-market dental practice transition signals for brokers, DSOs, lenders and the firms that serve them.