Merger Update: Rodericks / Dental Partners

CMA invites comments on local dental practices merger remedy:

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened a consultation on undertakings proposed by CapVest Partners LLP (CapVest), the ultimate controller of Riviera Bidco Limited (Riviera), which in turn owns and controls Rodericks Dental Limited (Rodericks), to address competition concerns over Riviera's acquisition of Dental Partners Group Limited (Dental Partners).

On 23 August 2022, the CMA announced that it would refer the acquisition for an in-depth investigation unless  acceptable undertakings are offered to address the CMA's concerns.

The CMA found that the acquisition gives rise to a reaslistic prospect of an substantial lessening (SLC) of competition in two local areas in the UK (the SLC areas). To address the CMA's concerns, CapVest has offered to to divest the (one) Rodericks dental practice in each of the SLC areas, or, in the alternative, the (one) Dental Partners practice in each SLC area.

On 7 September 2022, the CMA announced that it would look in detail at these undertakings. The CMA has until 3 November 2022 to consider whether to accept the undertakings, or a modified version of them with the possibility to extend this timeframe to 3 January 2023 if it considers that there are special reasons for doing so. As part of this process, the CMA is now consulting publicly on whether the proposals are sufficient to address the CMA's competition concerns.

Before reaching a final decision, the CMA is therefore inviting interested parties to make their views known. The deadline for responses is 6 October 2022.

The consultation on the undertakings and all other information relating to this merger investigation can be found on the case page at https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases.

In the event of media enquiries please email [email protected].