Why Private Dental Fees Are Rising in the UK (And What the CMA May Be Missing)

Private dental fees in the UK have been rising in recent years, prompting growing questions about why costs are increasing and whether NHS dentistry is still meeting demand.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has now launched a review into private dentistry, focusing on pricing, transparency, and how patients make decisions about their care.

From a consumer perspective, the question is straightforward.

Why are private dental fees going up?

But there is a risk that the investigation focuses too narrowly on price, without fully examining the system that is driving those prices upward.

Why private dental fees are rising in the UK

Dr Dan Shaffer, speaking on BBC Radio, described the situation plainly:

“Our costs as private dentists have gone up by about 30%. Staffing costs, electricity, materials, laboratory fees. These increases have to be reflected somewhere.”

That is part of the answer.

But it is not the full picture.

Across many practices, the pressure is not just rising costs. It is how the system is structured.

The system behind the pricing

For years, many dental practices operated with a balance between NHS and private work.

In many cases, private income helped offset the financial limitations of NHS dentistry. That balance is now becoming harder to maintain.

The current NHS dental contract, introduced in 2006 and built around Units of Dental Activity, has long been criticised by professionals as restrictive and outdated.

Dr Shaffer described it as “not really fit for purpose anymore.”

At the same time, professional bodies such as the British Dental Association have warned that some NHS treatments are delivered at a loss, meaning practices are being paid less than it costs to provide care.

When that gap widens, the model becomes difficult to sustain.

What dentists are doing

As a result, many practices are changing how they operate.

BBC analysis of NHS England data found that more than £900 million has been returned by dentists over the past two years for NHS work that was contracted but not delivered.

In both years, more than 40% of practices underdelivered against their NHS contracts.

This helps explain why more dentists are stepping away from NHS work and why private dentistry is becoming more common in some parts of the UK.

This is not simply a matter of choice. It reflects a system where, in some cases, delivering NHS care is financially challenging.

Some practices reduce their NHS commitment. Others move further toward private care.

As Dr Shaffer noted in his interview, these are not isolated decisions. Through organisations such as the Business of Dentistry, dentists are actively discussing how to navigate these pressures while maintaining ethical care and long-term sustainability.

When that happens, pricing begins to reflect the full cost of running a dental business, rather than the constraints of NHS funding structures.

What this means for patients

For patients, the experience can feel very different.

BBC reporting highlights growing difficulty in accessing NHS dental care, with many patients unable to find available appointments when they need them.

For many patients, the question is no longer whether private care is more expensive, but whether NHS care is available at all.

When access to NHS care becomes more limited, more patients may end up seeking private treatment instead.

That shift increases demand within private dentistry, which can place further pressure on fees.

Affordability remains a concern. But for many patients, the issue is not just cost. It is access.

What the CMA is investigating

The CMA has said its review will examine whether the private dental market is working well for consumers, including how prices are set and how clearly they are communicated.

The investigation reflects growing public concern about private dental costs, but pricing alone does not explain why the market is shifting.

Patients should be able to understand costs, compare options, and make informed decisions about their care.

But pricing does not exist in isolation.

The bigger question

Private dental fees are rising.

But the more important question is why so many patients are relying on private dentistry in the first place.

NHS treatment levels have yet to fully return to pre-pandemic levels, while pressures on the system continue to shape how practices operate.

When NHS access remains limited and demand for care stays high, pressure on private fees can increase.

If the investigation focuses only on private fees, without addressing the structure of NHS dentistry, it risks treating the symptom rather than the cause.

The question that matters

The CMA is asking whether the private dental market is working for consumers.

That is a reasonable question.

But it is not the only one.

Why are private dental fees rising across the UK, and why are more patients relying on private care in the first place?

If access to NHS dentistry continues to fall behind demand, the shift toward private treatment will not slow down. It will accelerate.

Private dental fees are not rising in isolation. They are rising in response to a system under strain.