Solo
and strong

Two models, one market

The Competition and Markets Authority says private dentistry accounts for about two thirds of the UK’s combined NHS and private dental market.² On 5 March 2026 it opened a market study into the supply of private dental services,¹ following a request from the Chancellor to examine whether private dentists compete effectively and whether patients can make effective choices and get value for money.³ Its final report is due by 4 March 2027.¹

Meanwhile the profession keeps growing: 47,916 dentists were on the General Dental Council register in December 2025, up 3.4% on a year earlier.⁴ None of this says which model is better. The CMA’s findings are not in yet.

Where independents win

An independent’s advantage is continuity and character. Patients see the same faces, and the practice reflects the person who built it. That is hard to copy and easy to lose. A tired reception, signage that no longer matches, or a waiting room unchanged since opening tells a patient the owner’s attention is elsewhere. In our experience, the independents who hold their patients are the ones whose space still says what they believe.

Where groups win

A well run group offers what a single practice cannot: the same standard of experience on every site, shared systems and training, and the means to invest in the building. A patient who moves from one site to another should recognise the welcome, the signage and the standard of care. When that consistency is designed, patients read it as reliability. When it is only a logo on the door, they read it as a chain.

What both need

Neither model earns trust through ownership alone. Patients cannot see who owns a practice, only how it looks, sounds and feels from the pavement to the chair. A clear brand says what the practice stands for, and the space proves it. For an independent, that means being specific about what makes the practice theirs. For a group, it means a system flexible enough to let each site feel local. As the CMA asks how patients choose between providers, that kind of clarity is likely to matter more, not less.