The UK’s private dental sector is facing a period of significant regulatory and structural change, and it could affect investors and businesses across the industry.

In March 2026, following a request from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a market study into private dentistry, a sector now valued at  £8.4 billion and accounting for 69% of total dental provision in the UK. 

The CMA is looking at the full range of dental services, from preventative and clinically necessary treatments to cosmetic procedures, amid growing concerns over rising prices and access to care. According to independent sources, initial consultation fees have increased by more than 23% and routine check-up costs by around 14% since 2022, although the British Dental Association disputes these figures. The trends have attracted political attention and prompted calls for regulatory scrutiny.

Dental practices had until 2 April 2026 to submit views on the proposed scope of the study. Corporates which receive CMA information requests in the course of the market study face the risk of fines of up to 1% of their global annual turnover, plus possible daily penalties, if they do not fully comply within the relevant timeframes under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. 

While the CMA has the power to escalate to a full market investigation, the prevailing view within the industry is that this is unlikely.

Although the study focuses on private dentistry, it will also examine how NHS systems shape private market dynamics. This is relevant because practices often carry out both NHS and private work, frequently with the same staff. There have been reports about practices selectively choosing which patients to take on for NHS contracts, in some cases contingent on a family member agreeing to use the practice’s private service.

On the NHS side, December 2025 brought the most significant reforms to the dental contract in years. For example, practices with contracts of 100 UDAs (Units of Dental Activity) or more are now required to direct 8.2% of their contract value toward urgent and unscheduled care. However, these reforms are being delivered entirely within the existing budget and UDA framework, with no new money attached.

At a recent investor webinar hosted by healthcare advisory firm Marwood Group, the general view was that the gap between demand and supply isn’t going away anytime soon. Many newer dentists don’t see NHS work as a good long-term option, which adds to the problem. The British Dental Association (BDA) has suggested it may push for more government funding, as dentistry remains a politically sensitive issue. But unless that happens, private dentistry is likely to keep growing to meet demand.