An £84.9m offer has been made for Britain's largest dental firm Oasis Healthcare.
The proposal comes from Associated Dental Practices (ADP).
The offer trumps an agreed £76.9m offer for Norwich-based Oasis from private equity firm Duke Street Capital unveiled last week.
ADP, itself the UK's third biggest dental firm, currently owns more than 18% of Oasis and said it would seek a meeting with the company's board.
The firm aims to gain a recommendation for the offer.
The company said a combination of the two businesses would create a dental giant with 190 practices nationwide and a "strong platform" to grow private and NHS business.
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