Specialist accountants for dental
practices in Ireland

Focus on Your Patients.

We’ll Handle the Numbers

Dentistry is complex enough without juggling fee codes, suppliers, VAT questions, and associate contracts. From mixed income and high overheads to associate agreements and payroll, we organise your books, optimise tax, and keep you compliant.

Most importantly, you get clear financial insight tailored to Irish dentists so your practice runs profitably and predictably.

Everyday headaches dentists face

Mixed income streams with private fees, Medical Card and PRSI schemes pulling in different directions, making reporting and decisions harder than they should be.

High overheads and equipment costs as lab fees, materials, servicing and big-ticket purchases put pressure on cash flow and planning.

Complex staff and associate structures where PAYE staff and self-employed associates require different handling and create real compliance risk if done incorrectly.

Why dental practices need specialist accounting

Dental practices are some of the most financially complex healthcare businesses in Ireland. You are balancing high clinical standards, busy schedules, and regulation, while also managing mixed income streams, large overheads, and associate agreements.

A generic accountant may keep you compliant, but that is rarely enough to run a practice with confidence.

Mixed income makes reporting difficult

Most practices have a blend of private fees, PRSI treatments, HSE schemes and other income lines. If they are not tracked properly, your numbers will not match what’s happening chairside.

Overheads are high and still rising

Lab fees, consumables, equipment finance, servicing, sterilisation costs, software subscriptions and fit-outs can quietly eat profit if you do not track them in the right way.

Associates are a major compliance risk

PAYE employees, self-employed associates and locums all need different treatment, documentation and payment procedures. One mistake can trigger unnecessary Revenue problems.

Why many dental practices outgrow
a general accountant

Many dental practices start with a general accountant, which can be enough in the early days. As practices grow, income becomes more complex and overheads rise, specialist dental accounting makes a measurable difference.

General accountant

Forti – specialist dental accounting

Understands HSE, PRSI, private fees, and chairside economics
Provides monthly insight into profitability and cash flow
Lab fees and materials treated correctly as cost of sales
Clear, compliant handling of associates and payroll
Proactive planning around tax, equipment, and growth

Purpose-built dental accounting from chairside to year-end

This is not generic bookkeeping. This is an accounting system designed around how Irish dental practices actually operate.

HSE, PRSI and private income reconciliation

So your streams are separated correctly and you can see where revenue is really coming from.

Practice profitability analysis

So you can understand treatment profitability, lab fee ratios, and overhead trends instead of guessing.

Associate and staff payroll management

Covering PAYE staff and compliant processing for associates, including statements and correct record keeping.

Tax planning for dental professionals

To ensure you claim allowable expenses correctly, including equipment depreciation and professional subscriptions.

Monthly management accounts

Monthly management accounts with clear performance packs that guide cash flow, investment decisions, and growth planning.

How dental accounting works from
chairside to year-end

You need more than basic bookkeeping. You need accounting that speaks the language of projects, fees, stages, and margins. Our approach is designed to give you clarity without adding admin to your week.

Clear income segregation

We separate private, PRSI and HSE income streams so you can see what is driving performance, how different payment timelines affect cash, and where profitability is coming from.

Lab fees, materials and chairside costs

We classify lab fees and dental consumables as cost of sales so you get a true gross profit figure. That is one of the clearest ways to measure core practice performance.

Associate payment structures

We help you record and manage associate arrangements correctly, including percentage splits, agreed minimums, facility fees, and shared lab or materials arrangements.

Staff Payroll & Compliance

We handle payroll for reception teams, dental nurses, hygienists and admin staff, including PAYE, PRSI, holiday pay and reporting, with clean documentation and reliable processes.

VAT Guidance Where It Applies

Clinical dentistry is often VAT exempt, but products, cosmetic or aesthetic treatments, and non-medical services may attract VAT. We guide you on what is VATable and what is not, and we keep filing clean when VAT applies.

Monthly Management Accounts

Each month you get a pack showing profit and loss, cash flow, overhead trends, associate cost breakdown, and tax projections, with clear actions you can take.

What dentists and dental associates can
claim as business expenses

Not sure which tax forms to fill out? Don’t worry about the process; let us do it for you. Dental expenses are unique, and so is the tax treatment. We make sure you claim what you are entitled to, with tidy records that stand up to scrutiny.

Clinical and consumable costs

Equipment and capital items

Professional development and compliance

Business and admin

Practice-Based Pricing for Dental Professionals

Dental professionals operate in different ways depending on whether they work as associates or run their own practices. The packages below show starting points — final pricing is aligned to how you operate, the level of compliance required, and the reporting support you need.

Sole Trader

Limited company

Sole Trader

Limited company

Why Businesses Choose Forti

Clarity, reliability, expertise, and service without complexity. Everything is clearly priced, professionally handled, and fully supported.

Feature	Forti	Others
Transparent pricing		⚠️
Software included		⚠️
CRO compliance		⚠️
Dedicated accountant		⚠️

Why dentists choose Forti

Deep understanding of dental income structures including private fees, PRSI and HSE schemes, and how those flows affect reporting and cash.

Better profitability insight than generic accountants including cost of sales treatment for lab fees and consumables.

Associate and payroll support with correct handling, documentation, and clean processes.

Proactive advice so you can plan purchases, taxes, and growth without last-minute stress.

Clear monthly reporting that helps you make decisions with current numbers.

Should you incorporate your dental practice

For practice owners, operating as a limited company can offer meaningful tax advantages and clearer structure for growth. For associates, incorporation is not always recommended, but it can make sense in certain cases.

You should consider a limited company if you

Own a practice or plan to buy into one
Have predictable, substantial profit
Want to retain and reinvest profit into equipment
Want to make larger pension contributions
Want limited liability protection

Who We Work With

We work with dental professionals who want proper financial insight, not just year-end compliance.

Dental practice owners

Managing mixed income, staff payroll, and high overheads.

Dental associates

Dental associates require accurate records, accurate expense claims, and financial stability.

Growing practices

Expanding teams, investing in equipment, or planning incorporation.

What Our Clients Say

What Other Consultants
are Saying

As a sole practitioner, my biggest challenge was juggling design work with admin and tax. FORTI simplified everything and freed me up to take on more client work. A fantastic service.

M. O’Connell

The Sole Practitioner

The project profitability reports from FORTI have been a revelation. We can finally see what’s working and what isn’t, and it’s changed how we quote for new work. I couldn’t recommend them highly enough.

L. Byrne

Director The Small Practice Director

We switched to FORTI because our old accountant didn’t really understand how we manage projects and consultant fees. It feels like they’re part of our team.

C. Hayes

Partner Galway

Local service with nationwide reach

We work with dental associates and practice owners across Ireland. Whether you are in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick or Donegal, our cloud-based systems make it easy to work together smoothly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Got more questions? That’s what we’re here for!

How do you account for lab fees and materials?

We treat lab fees and dental materials as cost of goods sold. This means we offset them directly against your revenue, giving you a true gross profit figure, which is a key indicator of your practice’s core profitability.

What’s the best way to pay my associates?

In Ireland, most associates operate as self-employed. We’ll help you document clear agreements and run compliant payments and statements, keeping Revenue requirements in check.

Can I claim my annual Irish Dental Association membership and CPD courses as expenses?

Yes. Professional body subscriptions, indemnity insurance, and relevant CPD courses are tax-deductible expenses. We make sure they are claimed correctly and supported properly.

Should I buy expensive new equipment personally or through the practice?

In most cases, it is far more tax-efficient to purchase equipment through your limited company. The company can claim capital allowances to reduce its corporation tax bill. We will advise based on the investment and your setup.

Get In Touch

Ready to make the numbers feel simpler?

If you want clean books, predictable tax planning, and monthly insight that helps you run a stronger practice, we’re ready when you are.

Specialist accountants for dental practices in Ireland