The acquisition takes the group, which is owned by brothers Christopher and Philip Friel to 19 practices.

The seller and owner of the newly acquired practices, Fraser MacAulay, will stay on to provide continuity of service in the coming months. Mr MacAulay, a Glasgow native, has been a stalwart in the industry, single-handedly managing both practices through various industry challenges.

His main aim was to find an acquirer that shared his ethos and would uphold the relationships his practices had fostered with local communities. He identified Scottish Dental Care as the preferred purchaser.

Mr MacAuley said: “As a strong believer in the NHS, I always strived to provide the best quality care possible but also wished to offer more treatment options to patients. I was keen to find an acquirer that would be able to provide both.

“My biggest concern was that the purchaser wouldn’t hold my same values or maintain the relationships my practices have with local communities.

“After some research, I knew that Scottish Dental Care was the perfect fit – it became quite clear to me from the get-go that the team there operate in the same way I do and run their practices in line with my own ethos.

“The group’s acquisition will mean more opportunities for patients to join the practices, more services available, further improvements to the facilities, and more opportunities for staff.”

Mr MacAulay began his dentistry career in the 1990s, joining Gorbals Dental Practice as an Associate Dentist in 1998. He took over the practice within six months and later opened his second practice in Barrhead in 2011. Both practices have served thousands of patients in the region.

The acquisition promises an influx of opportunities for patients and staff alike, expanding services, improving facilities, and opening up membership to new patients. Scottish Dental Care, which employs over 200 team members including 80 dentists, provides services to around 200,000 patients across Scotland, from Inverness to Dumfries.

Lynn Hood, chief executive of Scottish Dental Care, said: “To be approached on the strength of our values is fantastic and reaffirms that what we are doing is working and word is spreading.

“Gorbals and Barrhead are first-rate dental practices that have provided their patients with the utmost quality of care. Fraser should be proud of everything he has achieved as owner and we are looking forward to carrying on his legacy.

“We already have big plans and have the resources to ensure the highest quality of NHS and private provision to patients for many years to come.”