German medical practice acquisition trends

The German medical market is experiencing a shift toward the acquisition of existing practices. In 2025, 65 percent of dentists starting independent practices chose acquisitions over establishing new ones. The average investment for acquiring a dental practice rose to 518,000 euros in 2025, a 15 percent increase from the previous year, driven by higher purchase prices and costs for modernization, equipment, and IT infrastructure.

This trend has expanded to include financial investors acquiring private medical practices to consolidate them into Medical Care Centers (MVZ). This shift is replacing traditional independent doctors with salaried physicians within corporate structures. The Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) has raised antitrust concerns, noting that many acquisitions bypass merger controls due to revenue thresholds and complex ownership structures. Furthermore, research based on Bavarian billing data suggests that 73 percent of doctors in private-equity-led facilities did not provide a full spectrum of standard general practitioner services, with less profitable services like home visits being notably limited.