The UK’s competition watchdog has launched a review into the £8bn private dentistry market after the price of a consultation increased by nearly 25% over a two-year period.
One in five people in Great Britain sought private dental care in 2024 in part because they could not access NHS treatment. Announcing its investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it wanted to make sure the market was “working well for UK consumers”.
The CMA said dentistry played “a critical role in people’s health and wellbeing” and that demand for private services had risen sharply in recent years. Against this backdrop the regulator pointed to independent price data that showed average prices had “increased significantly”.
Between 2022 and 2024 the price of an initial consultation rose by over 23% to £80, the data showed. The price of routine check-ups for existing patients was up over 14% at £55.
The CMA said the review was “not a criticism of clinicians or the care they provide, but an examination of how the market is working for consumers”.
The private market is set against an NHS service in crisis. Dentists are increasingly pulling out of doing NHS-funded work because the fees for many procedures do not cover the costs involved, according to the British Dental Association (BDA). Last year the Guardian reported cases of people pulling their own teeth because they were unable to access emergency dental care in England.
With more Britons using private dentists, Sarah Cardell, the CMA chief executive, said the watchdog was concerned that many may “be uncertain about costs, availability, treatment options and what they’re entitled to”.
“For some, turning to private dentistry is a choice – but for many, it’s a necessity,” said Cardell. “We want to hear directly from people across the UK about their experiences – good or bad – to help us build a clear picture of how this market is working in practice.”
Private dental services accounted for over 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 an attempt to ease the cost of living. The chancellor cited the “scourge of hidden costs, lack of transparency and overtreatment”.
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 clinicians or the care they provide”, the review could lead to direct action or a change to how the industry is regulated.
The BDA said it would help the CMA understand the “complex realities of delivering private dentistry”. Dentists with NHS contracts were providing care at a loss with the service “reliant on a cross subsidy of over £400m a year from private activity to break even”, it said.
The BDA has previously described the government’s call for an investigation into pricing practices as a fig leaf for its failure to properly fund NHS care.
Eddie Crouch, the BDA chair, said the body intended to “spell out the facts. These are services delivering high-quality, cost-effective care that millions of families really value. Those left without options, who have felt forced to go private, are there entirely because of choices made by the Treasury.”
The headline of this article was amended on 5 March 2026 to say “more than 23%” instead of “up to 23%”.
