Riviera Bidco Limited / Dental Partners Group Limited merger inquiry

The CMA is investigating the completed acquisition by Riviera Bidco Limited, which owns and controls Rodericks Dental Limited, of Dental Partners Group Limited.

From:
Competition and Markets Authority
Published
4 May 2022
Last updated
19 June 2023 — See all updates
Case type:
Mergers
Case state:
Closed
Market sector:
Healthcare and medical equipment
Outcome:
Mergers - phase 1 clearance with undertakings in lieu
Opened:
4 May 2022
Closed:
19 June 2023

Statutory timetable

Date Action
7 October 2022 Undertakings in lieu of reference accepted
22 September 2022 to 6 October 2022 Consultation on proposed undertakings in lieu of reference
7 September 2022 CMA to consider undertakings offered
23 August 2022 Decision announced
28 June Launch of merger inquiry
28 June 2022 to 12 July 2022 Invitation to comment
28 April 2022 Initial enforcement order

Phase 1

Case closure

19 June 2023: The CMA approved the purchase of 2 Rodericks dental practices subject to the UILs. The purchase of Amber Valley Dental practice by NDBF Holdings Limited and the purchase of Mexborough Dental Practice by a group consisting of Healthcare Holdco Limited, Farooq Holdings Limited, and Imaan and Anayah Limited were approved by the CMA and completed on 6 April 2023 and 6 June 2023 respectively. This brings the merger investigation to a close.

Undertakings in lieu of reference accepted

7 October 2022: The CMA has accepted undertakings in lieu of reference for the completed acquisition by Riviera Bidco Limited of Dental Partners Group Limited.

Undertakings in lieu of reference consultation: now closed

22 September 2022: We are consulting on proposed undertakings in lieu of reference for the completed acquisition by Riviera Bidco Limited of Dental Partners Group Limited.

CMA to consider undertakings offered

7 September: CapVest Partners LLP, the ultimate controller of Riviera Bidco Limited, offered undertakings to the CMA which involve divesting two dental practices, each either belonging to Rodericks Dental Limited or Dental Partners Group Limited. The CMA considers that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the undertakings offered by CapVest Partners LLP, or a modified version of them, might be accepted by the CMA under the Enterprise Act 2002.

Reference unless undertakings accepted

23 August 2022: The CMA has decided, on the information currently available to it, that it is or may be the case that this merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom. This merger will be referred for a phase 2 investigation unless the parties offer acceptable undertakings to address these competition concerns.

Launch of merger inquiry

28 June 2022: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the Parties.

Invitation to comment: closed

28 June 2022: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction has resulted in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation has resulted in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.

To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.

These comments should be provided by the deadline set out above.

Initial enforcement order

28 April 2022: The CMA has served an initial enforcement order under section 72(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002 in relation to the completed acquisition by Riviera Bidco Limited of Dental Partners Group Limited.

Amendments / consents granted

Contact

Please send written representations about any competition or public interest to [email protected]

Updates to this page

Published 4 May 2022
Last updated 19 June 2023 + show all updates

  1. Case closed.

  2. Full text of decision to accept undertakings in lieu published.

  3. Undertakings in lieu of reference accepted, and final undertakings added to the page.

  4. Undertakings in lieu of reference consultation, full text decision for considering undertakings and full text for reference unless undertakings accepted published.

  5. Variation document published, replacing an incorrectly labelled derogation document.

  6. Derogation published.

  7. Decision to consider undertakings offered published.

  8. Derogation published.

  9. Summary of phase 1 decision published.

  10. Derogation and variation published.

  11. Commencement notice and update to statutory timetable published.

  12. Derogations published.

  13. First published.

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