Private-pay now two-thirds of high street dentistry market

Continued pressure on the NHS is driving record growth in the private dentistry market, according to figures released today by LaingBuisson.

Private-pay dentistry was worth an estimated £8.4bn in 2023/24, up £965m on the previous year. The sector now accounts for more than two-thirds of the high street dentistry market – its highest share since LaingBuisson began reporting – reflecting strong consumer demand and sector resilience amid ongoing pressures on NHS provision.

The NHS-funded dentistry market in the UK was valued at £3.78bn in 2023/24, a 1.5% increase on the previous year, but structural and funding pressures persist. Patient co-payments accounted for 23% of market value, up from the pandemic low of 8% in 2020/21 but still below the pre-Covid peak of 28%.

Analysis published in the seventh edition of LaingBuisson’s Dentistry UK Market Report also shows that provision is not evenly spread across the UK.

Regional variation extends to both the number of NHS dentists and the volume of NHS dental activity, as measured by Units of Dental Activity (UDAs) per 100,000 people. As of March 2024, England had an average of 26.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) NHS dentists per 100,000 people but there are clear disparities. The Northwest (27.8) has the highest density of dentists, while the East of England (24.3) has the lowest, and there remain a number of ‘dental deserts’ where provision is particularly low.

However, strong growth potential in the highly fragmented sector means the dental industry is attracting robust interest from investors. Recent private-equity backed consolidation activity, includes the mergers of Rodericks and Dental Partners, and Portman with Dentex. Most notably, private equity firm Bridgepoint’s acquisition of a majority stake in Mydentist, reportedly the largest deal the sector has seen, signals strong confidence in future growth and profitability of UK dentistry.

‘The UK dentistry market is undergoing a shift in both supply and consumer behaviour – as the market steadily evolves towards a system where NHS dentistry takes a back seat to the opportunities for private pay. Dentists have long voiced concerns over the financial viability of offering NHS services under the current UDA model and LaingBuisson finds many are reducing their NHS hours in favour of delivering more private-pay dentistry,’ said report author, Corinne Fitzgerald.

‘Labour’s consultation on dental sector reform could help reshape future provision. However, 15 years of trying to find a path forward on acceptable funding model only underscores the challenges ahead – and until an agreement is reached, it is the public that continues to suffer as they struggle to access the NHS services they are technically entitled to.’