Avoiding the pitfalls of an associateship buy-in: a case.

The two doctors in this case made mistakes that could make it difficult for them to salvage their relationship and accomplish their mutual goal of Dr. Brown buying into Dr. Klein's practice. Such errors can seriously jeopardize a planned buy-in and should be avoided by others who wish to pursue this strategy. Dentists can avoid these mistakes by taking the time to discuss and clarify their intentions, and to specify the details of the arrangement at the beginning of the associateship or soon thereafter. They should also obtain qualified professional assistance to help plan and structure the arrangement. The information, knowledge and expertise is available to do it right, and there is no reason to make the kinds of mistakes made in this case. Successfully implementing an associateship buy-in or buy-out, or the outright sale or purchase of a dental practice, is no longer a mystery. These sorts of arrangements and transactions can be structured to accommodate the interests of both parties.