BGF is a long-term investor, making initial investments between £1 million to £15m for a minority equity stake. The investment in Scottish Dental Care in February 2022 came off the back of a record year for BGF in Scotland, having invested close to £60m in a diverse range of sectors, from technology and healthcare to consumer goods.

The family-owned Scottish Dental Care acquired the St John’s Road and East Craigs dental practices from Dr Hew Mathewson CBE and his family, who had established them over a 45-year period.

These successful new acquisitions will complement the 15 dental practices that Scottish Dental Care operates across Scotland. In a series of firsts, they mark both the strategic expansion of the brand into Scotland’s capital and the first deployment of the recent growth funding from BGF.

Scottish Dental Care was founded in 2016 by brothers Philip and Christopher Friel. It offers a full range of NHS, private and cosmetic dental treatments, including all aspects of dental implant and reconstructive dentistry, together with short term orthodontics and facial aesthetic treatments across its clinics.

Christopher Friel, managing director of Scottish Dental Care, said: “Acquiring these practices represents a continuation of our growth plans, with the extension of our Advanced Dentistry brand into Edinburgh. We are proud to take forward the legacy developed by Dr Mathewson over the years, and we look forward to working with the fantastic practice teams as we progress on that journey.

“BGF’s investment earlier this year helped enable these acquisitions and we look forward to future growth. We have benefitted immensely from the team’s input and strategic expertise.”

Dr Hew Mathewson, founder of St. Johns Road and East Craigs Dental Practices, added: “Scottish Dental Care and its family ownership through Christopher and Phil represent the best of both the dental industry and family businesses in Scotland. I am confident that they are the perfect fit to take over our high-quality Edinburgh practices, built up over 45 years.”

Chris Nixon, investor at BGF, commented: “We are delighted that our investment has helped Scottish Dental Care to gain a strategic foothold in Scotland’s capital through the acquisition of two high quality clinics. We are excited about what the future holds for the Group and will continue to support them on this growth journey.”