About us

Driven by purpose. Powered by people.

We are PortmanDentex. Together we’re on a mission to reimagine group dentistry and wellness.
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Overview

Our purpose is to enable better health and happiness across lifetimes.


We have the curiosity to imagine a better way, and the scale and commitment to make it a reality. Today, we support over 370 practices across the UK and Ireland, with more than 2,400 passionate clinicians and 4,500 dedicated practice colleagues providing dental care for 1.5 million patients.

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A message from

Sam Waley-Cohen, Founder and Group CEO

In 2023, Portman Dental Care and Dentex Health merged to bring the best of both organisations together into one new, combined business: PortmanDentex. We are very proud of the business we have created and of the amazing group of practices that we work with every day. It’s an honour to support the incredible clinicians and practice teams in our practices who deliver fantastic care to well over one million patients every year.

We truly believe in our purpose to enable better health and happiness over lifetimes and we see this purpose lived every day in our practices. We are excited to bring the best practices in the country – practices like yours – into our group, as we continue on our mission to reimagine group dentistry and use our scale and commitment to make that a reality. I hope you enjoy getting to know PortmanDentex better and I hope you join us on our mission.

Here's our story so far...

Looking back at two leading dental groups. Looking forward as PortmanDentex.

Portman Dental Care

2008

Portman Dental Care founded by Sam Waley-Cohen
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2017

The group grows to more than 50 practices
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2019

With over 100 practices, Portman Smile Clinic launches in 11 locations
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2020

We welcome practices in Belgium, Norway and Isle of Man
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2021

Our first practice in Ireland joins our network
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2022

Two new practices in France join us and we celebrate our 200th practice
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Dentex Health

2014

The Dentex Health journey begins

2017

15 practices have now joined the community
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2018

We more than double in size to over 30 practices
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2020

To support the pandemic we deliver over 1.7m units of PPE
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2021

By the end of the year we're supporting over 100 practices
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2022

Another 40+ new practices join our group
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PortmanDentex

2023

We join forces to become PortmanDentex with over 370 practices
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2024

Over 44 industry awards nominations across our clinicians, colleagues and practices
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2025

We continue to create a sustainable and stronger group for the future
Values

Our values bind us together and sit at the heart of everything we do. Our behaviours are shaped by them, guiding us on how we do things, how we work together and how we treat each other.

We celebrate individuality, We grow together, We aim higher

Benefits of joining

PD shared vision

Shared vision

We believe in a collaborative approach to dental care, where our practices, clinicians and colleagues are united by shared values, clinical integrity and a commitment to long-term, sustainable growth for the benefit of patients and communities.
PD Collaborative Community

Community integration and support network

We’re proud to support each practice’s unique identity, building on local relationships and community trust – while offering the strength and resources of a wider network to enhance every aspect of care.
PD scale and continued growth

Scale and continued growth

Our continued growth is driven by a commitment to quality, not quantity. Economies of scale mean we can invest more in our clinicians, colleagues, practices and the future of dentistry.
PD Clinical Excellence

Clinical excellence

We pride ourselves on clinical excellence. Through continuous learning, peer collaboration and access to quality resources, we empower every practice to deliver exceptional care. Our dedicated clinical governance team supports practices in upholding the highest standards.
PD long term partnership

Long-term partnership

Whether you’re a clinician, a practice colleague or part of our support teams, we build long-term partnerships founded on respect, support and shared success.

Operational and financial efficiency

Advanced technology solutions, expert marketing support, regulatory and legal expertise, and streamlined operational processes, enable our teams to focus on what matters most: delivering high-quality patient care with confidence and ease.
Team

Our executive team

A group of experienced people and clinicians who care. Where peer support, mentorship, and clinical excellence are at the forefront.
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Sam Waley-Cohen

Founder & Group CEO
Sam founded Portman Dental Care in 2008 to transform dentistry for customers, colleagues, and clinicians. In 2023, he advanced this mission by bringing together Portman Dental Care and Dentex Health to form PortmanDentex. Today, Sam drives our overall strategy, working closely with leadership to realise a bold vision for dentistry.
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Owen James

Managing Director UK & Ireland
Owen leads the PortmanDentex business in the UK and Ireland – including our practice estate and functional support teams. With a career spanning leadership roles in strategy, retail and the British Army, Owen brings a wealth of experience to the role. Excited about our future, he’s dedicated to bringing together great people and fantastic practices to transform dentistry.
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Louise Oates

Chief Operating Officer
With wide-ranging experience in the dental industry, initially starting her career as a dental nurse, Louise now oversees our strategic and operational functions. She champions a culture of trust, motivation and creativity – believing these are key to innovation and team success.
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Rebecca Sadler

Chief Clinical Officer
Rebecca is a practising dentist with more than 25 years’ experience. A respected clinical leader, she drives quality, governance and policy, while championing clinician development and engagement to help people thrive and reach their full potential.
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Gordon Dunn

Chief People Officer
Gordon drives business growth by creating fulfilling, meaningful roles and is dedicated to attracting and retaining top talent in dentistry. He builds strong, inclusive teams and champions a culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their potential.
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Paul Davis

Group Chief Financial Officer
Paul is a chartered management accountant with 30 years' experience in fast-moving, successful multinational organisations across a range of consumer-facing industries. He’s now using this expertise to drive transformational change across our finance function and the wider business.
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Guy Allen

Chief Information and Transformation Officer
For the past 20 years, Guy’s held leadership roles for large brands. He now oversees our technology teams, which involves supporting our practices and central team with all aspects of technology, as well as implementing new platforms and systems.