---
title: "What Is Partial exit? Dental Practice Glossary | Copeland Consulting Services"
description: "A sale in which the owner sells part of the practice but keeps a stake or stays on to practice, often in phases."
url: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/partial-exit
publisher: Copeland Consulting Services
email: drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com
contact: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact
---

Ownership and transitions

# Partial exit

A sale in which the owner sells part of the practice but keeps a stake or stays on to practice, often in phases.

A partial exit lets an owner step back in stages. The ADA describes a sale of a portion of the practice as a phased buyout. It gives the owner and potential buyers an accurate value now and sets the stage for a full transition later.

The owner may keep a stake, keep working as a dentist, or both for a set time. Terms often include price, timeline and decision rights. A [buy-sell agreement](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/buy-sell-agreement) can govern the later sale of the rest. A partial exit is one form of [practice transition](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/practice-transition).

Changes that happen during the transition period will inform the final sale price, the ADA notes. Owners should ask an attorney and a CPA about structure and tax effects. This entry is general information.

[Next stepPractice consulting with Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact?topic=consulting)

## Related terms

-   [Practice transition](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/practice-transition)
-   [Exit strategy](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/exit-strategy)
-   [Succession planning](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/succession-planning)
-   [Buy-sell agreement](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/buy-sell-agreement)

## Sources

1.  [ADA, Buying or Selling a Dental Practice, Start with an Accurate Valuation](https://www.ada.org/resources/careers/buying-or-selling-a-dental-practice-start-with-an-accurate-valuation)

## Talk with Dr. Copeland

[Contact Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact)[Email](mailto:drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com)