CMA Private Dental Services Market Study Engagement Guidance

UK CMA Publications

Published March 5th, 2026

Detected March 5th, 2026

Summary

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a market study into the UK's private dental services sector, focusing on market performance and potential improvements. The CMA is inviting views on the proposed scope, with a deadline for responses on April 2, 2026.

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What changed

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has initiated a 12-month market study into the private dental services sector in the UK, encompassing preventative, clinically necessary, and cosmetic treatments. The study aims to assess how the market functions, its performance for consumers, and potential areas for improvement. The CMA has published a statement of scope and a market study notice, and is actively seeking stakeholder input on the proposed scope, with a deadline for responses set for April 2, 2026. A webinar for stakeholders is scheduled for March 18, 2026.

Regulated entities, including dentistry professionals and businesses, industry representatives, consumers, and government bodies, are encouraged to engage with the CMA. This engagement can occur through responses to the statement of scope, participation in evidence gathering, and potentially through commissioning third-party research. While this is a guidance document outlining the study's launch and engagement process, the ultimate findings and recommendations could lead to future regulatory actions or policy changes affecting the private dental sector. Entities should prepare to provide information and perspectives as requested by the CMA.

What to do next

Review the CMA's statement of scope for the private dental services market study.
Submit feedback on the proposed scope by the deadline of April 2, 2026.
Consider attending the stakeholder webinar on March 18, 2026, to understand engagement processes.

Source document (simplified)

Guidance

How to engage with the CMA’s private dental services market study

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is undertaking a market study into the private dental services sector.

From: Competition and Markets Authority Published 5 March 2026 Get emails about this page Print this page We are looking at:

how the market works
how well it performs for consumers
how it can possibly work better We are focusing on the supply of private dental services – including preventative, clinically necessary and cosmetic treatments – in the UK.

Work in the private dentistry market aligns strongly with our strategic objectives. Across all of our work, we focus on delivering tangible benefits for the UK’s economy, its citizens and businesses. In particular, as set out in our Strategy 2026 to 2029, the CMA helps improve household prosperity by promoting competition and protecting consumers.

We take particular care to prevent harm to consumers in areas of essential spend and at moments of vulnerability.

Market study timeline

Below we set out our roadmap for the market study, and how you can engage with us.

The dates are included as a guide and may be updated.

The CMA will conduct the market study in line with its 4Ps framework: Pace, Predictability, Proportionality, Process.

We will update this page throughout the market study, and you can subscribe to get emails when we update it. The button to opt in for email notifications can be found at the bottom of the page under contact.

Launch: March 2026

On 5 March 2026 we launched a market study, which we expect to last for 12 months.

We published a statement of scope, which:

explains why we are launching a market study
sets out the proposed scope of the market study
sets out at a high-level categories of potential outcomes from the market study (‘remedies’) We are inviting views on the proposed scope of the market study, and have set out a number of questions to help inform responses. The deadline for responses is 2 April 2026.

We have also published a market study notice, which sets out the legal scope of the study.

Webinar: Wednesday, 18 March 2026

We are holding a webinar for stakeholders on how the market study will run. Join Jennifer Halliday (SRO), Daniel Rawling and Nicola Brown (Project Directors) to find out what it means for industry and how to engage with us. You can book your place on the webinar page.

Engagement, evidence gathering and analysis: March to early September 2026

The CMA will be engaging with and gathering evidence from a range of stakeholders throughout the market study to ensure we can benefit from a wide range of perspectives.

We expect to engage with, amongst others:

dentistry professionals and dentistry businesses – ranging from large corporate groups, to independent dentistry practices
industry and professional representatives
consumers and consumer groups
UK and devolved governments
regulatory bodies across the 4 UK nations
We expect to engage and gather evidence in a number of ways, including through:
responses to our statement of scope
commissioning third-party research
collecting information using our statutory information gathering powers and through informal channels (such as questionnaires) sent to key market participants
hosting industry roundtables and meetings with dentistry providers, industry associations, regulators and other stakeholders
analysing available market data
working closely with UK and devolved governments, including to understand applicable legal and policy frameworks, and with the Chief Dental Officers in each nation
working closely with regulatory bodies across the 4 nations
call for views from consumers and dental professionals. We want to hear from consumers and dental practitioners on how they experience this market and how well it is working.
- share your views as a consumer
- share your views as a dental professional

Sector experts

We will draw in sector expertise to consider the CMA’s emerging thinking as we progress through the market study. This will help to ensure outcomes, including any recommendations the CMA may make to the UK and devolved governments or industry, are informed by expert knowledge and insight.

Internal state of play

The CMA will hold an internal state of play (ISOP) meeting(s) to reassess the scope of the market study at key points, against the evidence gathered.

Consultation on emerging thinking and remedies: October to November 2026

The CMA will update publicly on our work in which we expect to:

set out our work to date on the market study
outline any concerns about the market, and areas for potential improvement
propose possible options for improving outcomes We will invite views from interested stakeholders on our emerging thinking and any possible options for improving outcomes.