One of the oldest dental practices in Tunbridge Wells is celebrating its expansion to new premises following a six-figure cash boost from Lloyds Bank.

Southborough Dental Practice has been running for more than 70 years and is currently owned by experienced dentist, Dr Ramona Fathi-Saffar who took over the business in 2002.

The practice offers a range of routine and cosmetic treatments, including specialist implants, teeth whitening and invisible orthodontics.

With a rapidly growing customer base and 10 full time members of staff, bosses realised business was outgrowing its existing premises and decided to relocate to a larger space.

After finding the ideal building on London Road Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking provided a six-figure loan to help purchase and refurbish the site.

After the installation of three new surgeries, two decontamination rooms and a waiting room, the practice officially opened this month and has seen a significant influx of new patient registrations.

Speaking at the practice’s launch event, Ramona said: “Relocating has been a long but exciting process and now that the project is finished, it is clear that it has been well worth it.

"Not only do we have much more space to grow and develop, but we’ve also been able to install state of the art equipment that will significantly improve our patient’s experiences.

“It’s only been a few weeks and we’re already reaping the benefits of a bigger, more efficient space, and seeing the number of new patient registrations is really rewarding.

“As a small business owner, having the right financial support behind me is really important and helps making big decisions, like a relocation, much easier. Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking has been incredibly useful throughout this entire process and have been able to give me sound business advice every step of the way."

Paul Hollis, healthcare relationship manager at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “Ramona is very passionate about her business and is extremely driven and determined to provide an outstanding service for her clients. She came to us with a detailed and well-written business plan, which clearly outlined why relocating would be a smart move for the business.

“Operating in a sector with strict regulations and industry standards, like dentistry, can be challenging. In order to ensure our customers get the most relevant and tailored support, we have a number of specialist healthcare teams across the country which focus solely on working with businesses in this field.

“We also take advantage of numerous government initiatives as part of our commitment to supporting SMEs, including the Lloyds Funding for Lending scheme under which we provide a one per cent discount on the life of their loans.”