By Dentex’s CEO, Barry Lanesman
2020 was a challenging year for everyone and 2021 has started in the same vein. Looking back at when we first went into lockdown, it was a very uncertain time with the impact being felt across all industries, particularly for dental teams having to respond to a shutdown overnight. Despite all challenges, all our practices reopened by the end of July as we managed occasional COVID-19 issues and put in place many new and strong safety protocols.
In the midst of getting practices back up and running, we had to raise additional capital in order to continue growing Dentex and to ensure we remained within bank covenants. Demonstrating the resilience of our people and practices, as well as showing strong practice growth in the midst of the crisis made this process much easier, as a result raising over £20M. This made a huge difference in renegotiating our bank facilities and growing our pipeline of new practices to the largest it has ever been.
Many people rely on Dentex, needing level-headed and coordinated support to cope with this rapidly changing environment. It has been great to see, particularly with the national lockdown in the new year, how our people, teams and practices are going the extra mile. They constantly support and update the way we operate, working closely to communicate with patients and finding the safest solutions to keep looking after them.
I am extremely proud of all our people and the hard work I have seen across our group; our patient numbers are excellent and practices are solidly booked. Most importantly, our safety track record, particularly in regard to COVID-19, has been exceptional. These positive results stand or fall on Dentex’s business model, preserving the clinical freedom of each practice, empowering our teams, and providing them with high-calibre support.
For 2021, I’m optimistic that eventually all the hard work in response to this pandemic will contribute towards a brighter future. On behalf of the Dentex Team, I can assure we will continue to give our best support and thrive as a group. We’re looking forward to welcoming more practices to the Dentex Family and sharing more positive news over the course of 2021.