Smiles Dental, Ireland’s largest privately-owned dental care provider, plan to open a new practice in Dundalk later this year.
Dr Hugh Bradley, who has a practice in Park Street, was the co-founder of Smiles Dental nine years ago
The announcement came after the company was acquired yesterday by Oasis Healthcare for an undisclosed sum.
The group, which has 77 practices in Ireland and Britain with an annual turnover of €84 million, is believed to have gone for more than £35 million (€42.5 million).
Smiles Dental was founded in 2005 by businessman Emmet O’Neill and orthodontist Hugh Bradley, who has a practice called Ortho at 22 Park Street.
Originally from Donegal, Hugh lives locally in Dundalk with his wife Abigail O’Brien.
The company’s new owner, Oasis Healthcare, is Britain’s largest provider of dental care and is owned by private equity firm Bridgepoint, who also own the Pret A Manger company.
Speaking to The Irish Times today, Mr O’Neill – who will remain on with the company – said Smiles hoped to open between six and seven new outlets in the Republic “this side of Christmas.”
He told the paper that “this was on top of two new outlets already in the works including one in Dundalk and one near the Market Hotel in Dublin’s technology hub, the Grand Canal Docks area.”
