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Britain's £8billion private dentistry market is being probed amid evidence of patients being hit with surging prices.

Watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority said treatment costs had risen sharply in recent years.

The average cost of an initial private consultation jumped by more than 23% to £80 between 2022 and 2024, it said, while a routine check-up for existing patients rose by over 14% to £55. Meanwhile, the average price of a simple tooth extraction - one of the most common procedures - leapt by a third to £139 over the two years.

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Prices are already considerably more than on the NHS. For example “Band 1” treatment - which can include a routine dental appointment - is £27.50. Meanwhile “Band 2” - which may include filings and root canal work - is £75.30.

Quoting data published by healthcare insurance experts MyTribe, the CMA said the average price of a white filling jumped by more than a fifth between 2022 and 2024 to £129, while anterior root canal work typically cost £400, up 14%.

The CMA has launched what is calls a “market study” after Chancellor Rachel Reeves flagged concerns last November.

Private practices account for nearly 70% of Britain’s more than £12billion a year dentistry market.

Of the country’s more than 12,000 dentistry practices, about 2,000 are part of big businesses with more than 30 sites each, while the majority - just over 8,000 - are independents.

Only 15% of all practices only do NHS work nowadays, while just under a fifth are purely private - the rest doing a mixture of both.

One in five people in Britain used private dental care in 2024, the CMA found, with difficulties getting NHS dental treatment the overriding reason.

The biggest driver was not being able to get a NHS treatment at all, followed by the long wait for an appointment. A quarter of people say their local dentist has stopped offering NHS treatments.

It comes against a backdrop of declining dental health, which is disproportionately impacting vulnerable and low income households - including children - with consequences for other areas of life.

The cost of treatment has led to reports of some people resorting to “DIY dentistry” - with people pulling out their own teeth.

The Daily Mirror’s Dentists for All campaign is calling for everyone to have access to an NHS dentist. Yet more than 12 million people were unable to access NHS dental care – more than one in four adults in England.

At the same time 90% of dental practices are no longer accepting new NHS adult patients, while data from the House of Commons Library showed 40% of children did not have their recommended annual check-up last year.

The CMA probe will examine both essential care and cosmetic treatments, and is seeking feedback from patients and dental professionals to “explore how well the market is working – from finding a dentist and understanding prices to knowing where to go if something goes wrong.”

Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said: “Going to the dentist is an important part of health and wellbeing, yet we’re concerned many may be uncertain about costs, availability, treatment options and what they’re entitled to.

“For some, turning to private dentistry is a choice - but for many, it’s a necessity. People need clear, accessible information at the right time so they can make the right decisions for themselves and their families. We want to hear directly from people across the UK about their experiences - good or bad - to help us build a clear picture of how this market is working in practice.”

In her call for a review late last year, Ms Reeves said the “scourge of hidden costs, lack of transparency and overtreatment has blighted families in need of dental treatment for too long”.

“That’s why I want to see urgent action taken to help reduce prices, whilst the cost of living still puts pressure on families across the country,” she added at the time.

On worries over practices in the sector, Ms Reeves also pointed to reports that some dentists had offered to take children on as NHS patients only if their parents signed up privately.

The CMA said the review is “not a criticism of clinicians or the care they provide, but an examination of how the market is working for consumers”.

But it could lead to direct action from the CMA or a recommendation for a change in regulation of the sector, with dentistry devolved to national governments.

Quoting data published by healthcare insurance experts MyTribe, the CMA said the average price of a scale and polish at a private dentist jumped 15% to £75 between 2022 and 2024, a white filling by more than a fifth to £129, and anterior root canal work by 14% to £400.

Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, said: “The Government is attempting to use this inquiry to pretend it is improving access and putting money back into voters’ pockets without spending a penny. We intend to spell out the facts. We will show the CMA how private dentistry works.

“These are services delivering high-quality, cost-effective care that millions of families really value. Those left without options, who have felt forced to go private, are there entirely because of choices made by the Treasury.”