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Dentists to spell out the facts in private care investigation

The British Dental Association has stressed it will work to ensure the Competition and Markets Authority understand the complex realities of delivering private dentistry

Official data indicates over 6m adults in England simply prefer private dentistry to NHS care.1 Thousands of dentists meet this patient need, providing treatment options in mixed NHS-private practices, as well as offering cosmetic dental procedures that are not available on the NHS.

BDA analysis of the dental market indicates that the majority of spending within NHS practices is on private work.2 Typical NHS contract holders are now delivering items of NHS care at a loss and are reliant on a cross subsidy of over £400 million a year from private activity to break even. The Government commissioned a costs of service study for NHS dentistry last year but has yet to show any sign it is willing to act on the findings and plug the funding gap. This gap is inevitably putting some pressure on private pricing. The BDA has criticised Government for falsely claiming it will put money back into voters’ pockets through this investigation. It maintains that while high quality and cost-effective private care remains a preferred option for millions, and Government has a responsibility to properly fund NHS care to prevent people being forced into private treatment

BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said:

“The Government is attempting to use this inquiry to pretend it is improving access and putting money back into voters’ pockets without spending a penny. “We intend to spell out the facts. We will show the CMA how private dentistry works. “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.”

Notes

  1. BDA analysis of the GP Survey by Ipsos 2025. Of the Base: all patients who have tried to get an NHS dental appointment more than 2 years ago, or have never tried, and answered the question 26.70% of patients preferred private, amounting to 6m when extrapolated to ONS mid-year population estimates.
  2. BDA analysis of 2023/24 data from specialists in dental business accounting and law NASDAL on NHS and private earnings. 51% of earnings in NHS practice are from private work.