Private dental market study opened by UK regulator

In opening its study into the £8.4 billion market, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) made it clear that it wants to ensure that this market works well for consumers.

The CMA’s review will span “preventative, clinically necessary and cosmetic dental treatments”. It said the impact of publicly funded dentistry and related policy on incentives and outcomes in the private dentistry market will also be considered.

The regulator has invited consumers and dental professionals to share their experiences of the market by 19 March 2026. A separate consultation on the proposed scope of its study (18-page / 1.65MB PDF) closes on 2 April 2026.

Competition and consumer law expert Angelique Bret of Pinsent Masons said: “The new market study follows a request from UK chancellor Rachel Reeves last autumn for the CMA to scrutinise the private dentistry market amid concerns over possible competition and consumer issues. It aligns with the CMA's 2026-2029 strategy, published last autumn, and its current draft annual plan 2026-2027 where it said it would seek to prioritise scrutiny of areas that impact UK consumers' essential spend.”

Competition law expert Giles Warrington, also of Pinsent Masons, said: “At this early stage it doesn’t appear that the CMA would intend to follow the market study with an in-depth market investigation that could lead to remedies being imposed. Instead, the market study appears more focused on examining issues around customer transparency and choice. Even so, businesses in the sector need to take the market study seriously, as any CMA recommendations are likely to carry weight with government and could lead to regulatory or policy changes.”

“The CMA is also conducting a separate market investigation involving healthcare professionals in the veterinary services sector, which has expanded to cover a range of competition and consumer protection considerations and has led to UK government proposals for regulatory reform.” he said.

“The new market study follows the CMA publishing its revised guidance on market studies and investigations last month, and the UK government opening a consultation on proposals for major UK competition law reform which – if implemented – would fundamentally alter the UK market inquiries regime,” added Warrington.

Bret noted: “Businesses which receive CMA information requests in the course of a market study face the risk of fines under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 of up to 1% of their global annual turnover plus possible daily penalties if they do not fully comply within the relevant timeframes.”

In detailing the proposed scope of its market study, the CMA outlined characteristics that it believes would be reflective of “a well-functioning market”.

Those characteristics include consumer choice over practices, treatments and payment options best suited to their preferences, needs and budgets, made clear to them via “transparent, trustworthy” information – including about the options available for publicly funded versus private treatments. In a well-functioning market, the CMA said, consumers would trust professionals and rely on them for advice and would have different options for treatment and clarity on what they would pay for those services.

Competition for customers, incentives to meet customer preferences and needs, as well as effective – but not unnecessary – regulation, are also features of a well-functioning private dentistry market, the CMA said.

The regulator intends to refer to these characteristics when evaluating whether the market is currently working as it should and to test whether, and if so where, interventions should be made.

The CMA referenced research published by watchdog Which? last year, as well as other industry commentary, that identified rising costs of treatments and evidence of some consumers taking a ‘do it yourself’ approach. It added that some consumers “may find choosing a dentist, and choosing between different treatments, complex and confusing”.

Alongside formally launching the market study, the CMA also published up-front guidance for consumers on choosing and paying for dental care.

In line with its ‘4Ps’ framework commitment to transparency and increased stakeholder engagement, the CMA’s project roadmap outlines important future milestones for the market study, including a stakeholder webinar on 18 March 2026. The CMA expects to gather and analyse evidence and engage with industry over the next six months, followed by a consultation in the autumn on its emerging thinking and any recommendations or proposals. The CMA’s final market study report is due within 12 months – in March 2027.