JAMES HULL will crown his reputation as one of the country’s leading dentists after putting his business up for sale priced at up to £50m.

Hull, who failed in an attempt to float James Hull Associates (JHA) in 2004, has hired NM Rothschild, the investment bank, to hold an auction. The deadline for initial bids is the middle of this week.

A sale would provide a windfall for Hull, who founded JHA in 1987. Potential bidders include private-equity firms and rival healthcare groups.

JHA aims at the top end of the market, offering a range of treatments such as jaw reconstruction and cosmetic procedures, including teeth whitening. It also has centres offering services such as osteopathy and chiropody.

Although Hull is widely admired for the way he has built up the business from his original practice in Newport, Gwent, JHA was bruised by the failure of its planned float early in 2004.

It had hired Numis for the listing, and hoped to attract a valuation of £65m. That proved too ambitious, and Hull fired Numis.

Since then he has bought out 3i, the venture-capital company, which had been his main financial backer. Bank of Scotland retains a small stake.

Paul Saper of the consultant LCS International said: “James Hull’s segment of the dental market has benefited from growth from implants and other aesthetic products.”

Elsewhere in the sector, the sale of Capio, the £1.2 billion Swedish healthcare group, is moving into the closing stages with two private-equity firms, Britain’s Cinven and France’s PAI, in the running.