Cheltenham-based Portman Dental Care plans to merge with London firm Dentex to form the largest privately focused dental group in the UK.

When combined they will operate more than 350 practices, 2,000 clinicians and 4,000 employees, providing dental care for over 1.5 million patients per year.

The move will also make them one of Europe's largest dental care platforms, operating in five European countries with plans to further expand this in the near future.

The merger will be completed with equity funding from Core Equity Holdings and is based on both businesses' desire for continued rapid growth,  high standards of clinical practice and prioritising long-term care for patients.

Portman Dental Care has 200 dental practices across the UK, Ireland and Benelux, including Cheltenham Dental Spa in the Royal Crescent and Pittville Lawn Dental & Implant Clinic.

Its practices offer a range of specialist, private and NHS dental care services, and are focused on continual development both in clinical skills and innovation.

It was founded in 2009 by CEO Sam Waley-Cohen, a keen amateur jump jockey who has won the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

He said: "For over fourteen years Portman's mission has been to transform dentistry for customers, colleagues and clinicians.

"Combining with Dentex allows us to accelerate this mission and bring real transformative change to dentistry.

"We look forward to getting to work with the outstanding clinicians in Dentex and their excellent management team as we bring the businesses closer together."

Barry Lanesman, CEO of Dentex, said: "I look forward to working with Julie Ross, Portman's UK MD, and Sam over the coming months to share best practices and bring both companies together.

"Our unwavering commitment to looking after our clinicians and practices is unchanged and we believe that our combined knowledge, our shared vision and the benefits of scale will allow us to deliver outstanding support to our practices and clinicians and amazing care to our patients."

The deal is expected to complete in late 2022 subject to regulatory approval.