# How long does a dental practice sale take? Henry Schein Dental Practice Transitions says the active sale process may take 6 to 12 months, and advises owners to begin planning 5 to 10 years before an intended exit. That is one firm’s published range rather than a national measure, so local demand and an owner’s preparation can move it, as the [practice lifecycle](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle) shows. By DDSIntel Editorial Team. Source: DDSIntel, https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/dental-practice-sale-timeline. Published 2026-10-26; data as of 2026-10-25. ## Key numbers - **6** months, the short end of one broker’s range for the active sale process (Henry Schein Dental Practice Transitions, 2026-07-03; https://dentalpracticetransitions.henryschein.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-sell-a-dental-practice/) - **12** months, the long end of that range (Henry Schein Dental Practice Transitions, 2026-07-03; https://dentalpracticetransitions.henryschein.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-sell-a-dental-practice/) - **5** years before an intended exit, the earliest planning start that broker advises (Henry Schein Dental Practice Transitions, 2026-07-03; https://dentalpracticetransitions.henryschein.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-sell-a-dental-practice/) - **30** days, roughly, for due diligence and financing (Henry Schein Dental Practice Transitions, 2026-07-03; https://dentalpracticetransitions.henryschein.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-sell-a-dental-practice/) ## What are the stages of a dental practice sale, and how long is each? Henry Schein Dental Practice Transitions describes eight phases. Valuation and sale strategy takes 2 to 4 weeks, buyer sourcing 1 to 6 months, the letter of intent 1 to 3 weeks, due diligence and financing about 30 days, and legal review and purchase agreements 2 to 6 weeks. Closing and the transition period vary by transaction. ## How long should an owner plan before selling? Henry Schein advises starting 5 to 10 years before an intended exit, with a pre-sale readiness phase of 12 to 24 months. The average U.S. dentist retired at 68.7 in 2024, according to the ADA Health Policy Institute, so working back from a target retirement age sets the starting point for planning. The 5-to-10-year and 12-to-24-month figures are one firm’s planning frame, not a measured national benchmark. Owners can adapt the frame with a CPA and an adviser. ## What makes a dental practice sale take longer? Henry Schein lists documentation gaps, inconsistent financial records, valuation expectations that do not match the market, a difficult buyer fit, slow buyer financing, lease complications and issues found late in diligence. Smaller markets and a limited buyer pool also lengthen a sale; see [selling in a shortage area](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/selling-in-a-shortage-area). ## How can an owner shorten the timeline? Preparation before listing is the main lever. Henry Schein says the best way to shorten the active sale timeline is to prepare before the sale begins, and the [preparation checklist](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/preparing-to-sell-checklist) lists the financials, lease, records and compliance items buyers test. Nothing here suggests an owner should sell; it describes the sequence for those who choose to. Related guides: [what happens when a dentist retires without a buyer](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/closing-a-dental-practice), [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). Market context is in [dental market data](https://ddsintel.com/data) and the age profile of owners in [dentist retirement statistics](https://ddsintel.com/data/dentist-retirement-statistics). Public records can show some steps in aggregate as [dental transition signals](https://ddsintel.com/signals). ## Frequently asked questions ### How long does it take to sell a dental practice? Henry Schein Dental Practice Transitions puts the active process at 6 to 12 months; that is one firm’s range, and local conditions vary. ### Does the 6 to 12 months include preparation? No. The same source places a readiness phase of 12 to 24 months before the active process begins. ### Does the type of buyer change the timeline? It can, through financing and any transition period; [exit options](https://ddsintel.com/lifecycle/exit-options) compares the main routes. ### Is a long sale a sign that something is wrong? Not necessarily. Smaller markets, a limited buyer pool and financing steps can all take time. ### How many practices sell in a year? TUSK Practice Sales reported at least 175 practice locations sold to DSOs in the first half of 2026, a count that excludes sales to individual dentists. ## Sources 1. Henry Schein Dental Practice Transitions. How long does it take to sell a dental practice? And how to control the timeline (July 3, 2026). https://dentalpracticetransitions.henryschein.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-sell-a-dental-practice/ 2. ADA Health Policy Institute. The dentist workforce. https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dentist-workforce 3. TUSK Practice Sales, via PR Newswire. TUSK Practice Sales assesses the state of the dental industry in its Q3 2026 dental market report (July 10, 2026). https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tusk-practice-sales-assesses-the-state-of-the-dental-industry-in-its-q3-2026-dental-market-report-302823046.html --- 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.