Consumer group calls for binding ombudsman as BDA warns survey of dissatisfied patients paints “misleading picture” of private care
The British Dental Association (BDA) has warned against using the experiences of an unrepresentative group of patients to judge private dentistry as a whole, after a Which? investigation called for a new ombudsman with powers to make binding decisions on private dental complaints.
The consumer group surveyed 1,009 private dental patients who had experienced a problem with their treatment in the previous two years. Pricing was the main source of dissatisfaction. Thirty-nine per cent felt costs were excessive, 22% paid more than they were quoted and 21% said pricing was unclear upfront.
A quarter (26%) were unhappy with the quality of their treatment, and one in 10 reported a direct clinical mistake. Sixteen per cent said they felt pressured into specific treatments and 11% said they were pushed onto monthly payment plans.
More than six in 10 (62%) chose not to complain to their practice. The most common reasons were fear of damaging their relationship with their dentist (31%) and a belief that complaining would make no difference (31%). Of those who did complain, 46% received only a verbal apology, and 19% received no response at all. Satisfaction with complaint handling was higher among patients of corporate group practices (76%) than among patients of independent practices (53%).
Escalation was rare. Only 9% took their complaint to the Dental Complaints Service (DCS), 5% went to the General Dental Council and 1% took legal action.
Ombudsman call
Which? highlighted that NHS patients can escalate unresolved complaints to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, but private patients have no equivalent. The DCS can mediate and make recommendations, but practice participation is voluntary, its recommendations are not legally binding and it cannot award compensation for distress.
The consumer group is calling on government and regulators to create a private dentistry ombudsman. Under its proposal, practice participation would be mandatory and the ombudsman could adjudicate disputes and issue binding decisions. Which? also wants all practices to be required to signpost patients clearly to the complaints process.
Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, said: “Private dental patients deserve the same level of protection as people using other essential services.”
The Competition and Markets Authority launched a market study into private dental services in March, covering competition, price transparency and complaints processes.
‘Put firmly in perspective’
The BDA said patients have every right to expect transparency over costs and an effective complaints process. However, it stressed that findings from a sample made up entirely of people who had already had a problem cannot be meaningfully extrapolated to the millions of patients receiving private care across the UK. It pointed to YouGov polling from earlier this year, which found 84% of patients who had received private dental care in the previous five years were satisfied with it.
The association noted that dentists are already subject to extensive professional regulation and have clear obligations to communicate treatment options and costs. Where treatment plans change, dentists should explain the clinical reasons and any cost implications. Practices are expected to run clear complaints procedures, and concerns can be escalated to the DCS.
The BDA said it will engage constructively with proposals to improve the complaints system, provided any changes are proportionate, avoid unnecessary duplication and work fairly for both patients and professionals.
BDA chair Eddie Crouch said: “Every dental patient deserves safe, high-quality care, clear information about costs and somewhere meaningful to turn when they’re not satisfied.
“But these findings need to be put firmly in perspective. Which? set out to survey people who had already experienced a problem with private dental care. It would be entirely misleading to suggest their experiences are representative of the millions of patients treated by private dentists every year.
“Dentists work incredibly hard to maintain the trust of their patients. The evidence is clear the overwhelming majority are satisfied with the care they receive.”
‘Elephant in the room’
Which? noted that private dentistry has grown from 42% of the market in 2010 to 69% in 2025, driven largely by declining access to NHS appointments. The BDA said this growth is the direct result of choices made by successive governments.
Crouch added: “There is an elephant in the room here. The extraordinary growth of private dentistry is the direct consequence of successive governments failing to fix and fund NHS dentistry.
“Millions have few options because a core part of our health service has been left to wither.”
Reference:
[1] Polling by YouGov for the British Dental Association Survey. Sample Size: 2181 Adults in the UK. Fieldwork: 23rd – 24th March 2026.
