Chancellor Rachel Reeves has called on the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate private dentistry costs amid sharp price increases.
Research cited by the Padmel.com shows patients paid up to 32% more for private procedures in 2024 than in 2022, with average costs for a tooth extraction reaching £139 and a white filling £129.
Reeves said: “The scourge of hidden costs, lack of transparency and overtreatment has blighted families in need of dental treatment for too long. I want urgent action to help reduce prices while the cost of living pressures families across the country.”
A CMA spokesperson said the authority “welcomes the request” and will develop a proposal for its board, adding that “this is an important market that needs to work well for consumers.”
The British Dental Association (BDA) criticized the move, citing rising overheads, including national insurance contributions and supply costs, as drivers of private fee increases.
BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said: “This call for an investigation is utterly perverse. Private dentists are simply covering costs, some created by government policy, while NHS funding remains under pressure. Profits from private care are keeping NHS dentistry afloat.”
The BDA estimates private fees have risen 13.8% over the past four years, compared with cumulative inflation of 24.5% since 2021. NHS treatments often operate at a loss, with private income subsidizing £330m of NHS work.
Trade bodies also point to dentist shortages and high demand as factors pushing private prices up. The Association of Dental Groups warned that inflationary pressures “are bound to be felt across the sector” without more dentists entering the workforce.
Dentists have highlighted flaws in the NHS dental contract, which pays fixed fees for “units of dental activity,” regardless of complexity. This leaves practices struggling to cover costs, with simple check-ups remunerated at the same rate as procedures like root canals.
In Wales, a new NHS dental contract has been introduced, but practitioners say it offers only “superficial repairs” rather than meaningful reform. Dentists have warned of funding shortfalls, the threat to high street practices, and a rise in DIY dentistry among patients unable to access care.
The CMA is now considering whether to launch a full inquiry into private dental pricing. Any findings would apply across the UK, potentially affecting the balance between NHS and private provision.
Meanwhile, dentists continue to call for urgent NHS investment, supported by a petition with over 120,000 signatures seeking £1.5bn to restore access for millions of patients.
