The UK’s competition watchdog has launched a review of the £8bn private dentistry market after the price of a practice rose by almost 25% over a two-year period.
One in five people in Britain sought private dental care in 2024, partly because they were unable to access NHS treatment. Announcing its investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it wanted to make sure the market “worked well for UK consumers”.
The CMA said dentistry played “a vital role in people’s health and well-being” and that demand for private services had increased significantly in recent years. In this context, the regulator pointed to independent price data showing that average prices had “increased significantly.”
Between 2022 and 2024, the price of an initial consultation rose by more than 23%, up to £80, the data showed. The price of routine checks for existing patients has increased by more than 14% to £55.
The CMA said the review was “not a criticism of doctors or the care they provide, but rather an examination of how the market is working for consumers”.
The private market faces an NHS service in crisis. According to the British Dental Association (BDA), dentists are increasingly withdrawing from NHS-funded work because the fees for many procedures do not cover the costs involved. Last year, The Guardian reported cases of people having their teeth removed because they could not access emergency dental care in England.
With more Britons using private dentists, Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said the watchdog was concerned that many may be “unsure about costs, availability, treatment options and what they are entitled to”.
“For some, turning to private dentistry is an option, but for many it is a necessity,” Cardell said. “We want to hear directly from people across the UK about their experiences – good or bad – to help us get a clear picture of how this market works in practice.”
Private dental services accounted for more than two-thirds of the market in 2025, with the UK industry most recently valued at £8.4bn. In November 2025, Rachel Reeves urged the CMA to launch a review of the industry in a bid to alleviate the cost of living. The chancellor cited the “scourge of hidden costs, lack of transparency and excessive treatment.”
The CMA will look at issues such as finding a dentist, understanding prices and knowing where to go for urgent treatment. It has also launched an online guide to help people when choosing and paying for dental treatment.
While the watchdog said the review was “not a criticism of doctors or the care they provide”, the review could lead to direct action or a change to the way the industry is regulated.
The BDA said it would help the CMA understand the “complex realities of private dental service provision”. Dentists with NHS contracts were delivering care at a loss and the service was “reliant on a cross-subsidy of more than £400m a year from private activity to break even”, it said.
The BDA has previously described the government’s call for an inquiry into pricing practices as a fig leaf for its failure to adequately fund NHS care.
Eddie Crouch, chair of the BDA, said the body intended to “set out the facts. These are services that provide high-quality, cost-effective care that millions of families really value. Those who have been left without options, who have felt forced to go private, are there solely because of decisions made by the Treasury.”
