Choosing a dentist combines health, trust, money and personal confidence. Patients may be comparing dentist prices, checking reviews, looking at qualifications, considering payment plans or trying to overcome dental anxiety before they ever contact a practice. WLW FUTURE originally researched those decisions through a competition led consumer study which generated 382 completed responses. We have now revisited the findings against current UK dental evidence published between 2024 and 2026.
Research boundary
The 382 response WLW study is the original consumer research base. The 2024 to 2026 statistics shown alongside it come from separate current UK sources and are cited individually. The original fieldwork has not been presented as new 2026 fieldwork.
The 382 response WLW study is the original consumer research base. The 2024 to 2026 statistics shown alongside it come from separate current UK sources and are cited individually. The original fieldwork has not been presented as new 2026 fieldwork.
382completed responses in the original WLW consumer study
73.7%selected quality and level of service when choosing a new dentist
68.4%selected value for money
68.4%selected dentist knowledge and experience
The headline findings
The original research points to a clear patient decision pattern. People want confidence in quality, value and clinical experience before they commit. Price matters heavily, but the lowest price is not the only signal. Reviews, recommendations, guarantees, empathy and visible expertise all contribute to the decision.
Quality comes first
73.7% selected quality and level of service as a reason to choose a new dentist. Value for money and dentist knowledge and experience were both selected by 68.4%.
Price needs context
64.9% wanted prices in dentist advertising while 71.9% wanted quality assurance. Patients appear to want cost information beside evidence that helps them judge what the price represents.
Experience is part of trust
54.4% agreed or strongly agreed that they needed to know the experience level of a new dentist before deciding to visit.
Pretty pictures are secondary
Only 14% selected dentist faces as something they wanted in dental advertising. Reviews, quality assurance, pricing and guaranteed work where appropriate all ranked higher.
Dental anxiety remains material
The original research associated dentistry with pain and fear as well as hope and positivity. Current national evidence confirms anxiety remains widespread.
The private market is growing
Current UK evidence shows more consumers are using private dental care while access, price clarity and comparison remain live issues for patients and regulators.
How the dental consumer study was built and updated
The original WLW research asked consumers about who they were, how they researched services, what would make them choose a new dentist, their relationship with dentistry, treatment needs, cost barriers, attitudes to appearance and what they wanted from dental advertising.
The study is now being used as an owned research asset. All client specific material has been excluded from this public version. The findings shown here are consumer findings only. Current external evidence has been added where it helps test whether the same issues remain relevant in the UK dental market in 2026.
Current UK evidence points at the same commercial questions
The Competition and Markets Authority is currently studying how private dental consumers access information, compare providers, understand costs and treatment options and use payment plans. The Adult Oral Health Survey and General Dental Council research also show continuing pressure around access, affordability and anxiety.
1,825private dental consumers responded to the CMA call for views. The CMA cautions that these responses are not representative of all consumers.CMA market study update, July 2026
62%were confident in the quality of UK dental care while 32% were confident people could access care when needed.General Dental Council, 2024
30%said cost had influenced the type of dental care or treatment chosen and 23% said cost had delayed treatment.Adult Oral Health Survey 2023
How people choose a dentist
When the WLW study asked what would make people choose a new dentist, the strongest answers were quality and level of service at 73.7%, value for money at 68.4% and the dentist’s knowledge and experience at 68.4%. Recommendations from friends or family were selected by 38.6%, empathy by 35.1%, guarantees by 33.3% and online reviews by 22.8%.
Current public evidence supports the idea that patient choice is multidimensional. In the Adult Oral Health Survey, 29% of adults who had ever been to a dentist reported using private care on their most recent visit. Among those private users, 39% said they could not find an NHS dentist, 22% cited perceived better quality, 19% cited more convenient opening times, 19% cited lower waiting times and 13% cited practice reputation or a recommendation from family or friends. Adult Oral Health Survey 2023
1. NeedPain, prevention, appearance, a broken tooth, a treatment recommendation or a long delayed problem creates intent.
2. SearchThe patient looks for a dentist, treatment, cost, review, qualification or local option.
3. CompareQuality, experience, price, availability, reassurance and recommendations reduce the field.
4. TrustThe practice must make the patient confident enough to enquire, book or accept a consultation.
5. ProceedClear treatment information, cost and next steps affect whether interest becomes treatment.
Explore what matters to dental patients
Use the buttons to switch between the original WLW findings and the current UK evidence used to test them.
WLW reading: patients are evaluating a bundle of evidence. A practice needs to communicate quality, value and experience together.
WLW reading: presentation matters, but the strongest advertising content is evidence led. Patients want quality assurance, prices and reviews before portraits of the people treating them.
Current evidence: affordability, anxiety and access remain substantial influences on the patient journey. Sources: Adult Oral Health Survey 2023 and General Dental Council 2024.
Dentist prices, dental costs and payment plans
Price is one of the clearest points of friction in dentistry. The original WLW research found value for money was selected by 68.4% when choosing a new dentist and 64.9% wanted prices in dental advertising.
The latest Adult Oral Health Survey found that 30% of adults said cost had influenced the type of dental care or treatment they had chosen and 23% said cost had caused them to delay treatment. Adult Oral Health Survey 2023
The current CMA private dental services study is examining how people understand and compare prices, treatment options and payment plans. Its July 2026 update reports that some consumers found it difficult to compare treatment options, costs and the experience or qualifications of different professionals. It also records concerns that true treatment costs can become clear only at a late stage. CMA market study update, July 2026
What this says about dental costs in the UK
Patients may accept that complex treatment cannot always have one fixed price before examination. They still benefit from clear guidance on likely costs, what changes the price, what is included and what payment options exist.
Patients may accept that complex treatment cannot always have one fixed price before examination. They still benefit from clear guidance on likely costs, what changes the price, what is included and what payment options exist.
What people are searching for around dental cost and choice
Current UK keyword research supplied for this study shows measurable consumer demand around cost, payment and trust questions. These search terms are used here only where they match the evidence and the subject of the article.
dentist prices UKdental costs UKprivate dentist costdental payment plansdentist financehow to choose a dentistdentist reviewsdentist qualificationsfear of dentists
Fear of dentists and dental anxiety still shape behaviour
The original WLW research found a mixed emotional relationship with dentistry. Pain and fear were common associations, but hope and positivity were also strong. This matters because a patient can be anxious about the process while still being highly motivated by the outcome.
Current national evidence shows the scale of the issue. The Adult Oral Health Survey reports that 40% of dentate adults had moderate dental anxiety and a further 15% had extreme dental anxiety. Adult Oral Health Survey 2023
For a patient searching because they are scared of the dentist, reassurance needs to appear throughout the journey. Appointment explanations, treatment information, tone of voice, forms, reviews and the first contact with the practice can all increase or reduce uncertainty.
Dentist reviews, qualifications and experience
Reviews matter, but the original research suggests patients use them as part of a wider trust system. 22.8% selected online reviews when asked what would make them choose a new dentist. The proportion rose to 52.6% when respondents were asked what they wanted to see in dental advertising. Recommendation from friends or family was selected by 38.6% when choosing a dentist.
Clinical experience also carried substantial weight. 54.4% agreed or strongly agreed that they needed to know the experience level of a new dentist before deciding to visit.
The CMA’s July 2026 update independently records consumer difficulty comparing the experience or qualifications of different professionals offering treatment. It also says information on practice websites was considered important. CMA market study update, July 2026
Reviews should answer a question
A review about implants, nervous patient care or a difficult restorative case can reassure somebody facing the same decision more effectively than an undifferentiated review feed.
Qualifications need interpretation
Patients may not know what every qualification means. Practices can explain relevant expertise, experience and treatment focus in plain language without overstating credentials.
What patients want from dental advertising
The WLW survey asked respondents directly what they wanted to see in adverts from dentists. Quality assurance led at 71.9%, followed by prices at 64.9%, reviews at 52.6%, guaranteed work where appropriate at 49.1%, trustworthiness at 43.9%, before and after images at 38.6% and discounts or offers at 36.8%. Dentist faces were selected by 14%.
The commercial reading is straightforward. Attractive design and photography can support a dental brand, but they should not displace the evidence patients use to reduce risk. Advertising needs to help people understand why the practice is credible, what the treatment may cost, what other patients experienced and what happens next.
| Patient information need | WLW consumer finding | Practical implication for a dental practice |
|---|---|---|
| Quality and level of service | 73.7% selected it when choosing a new dentist | Show evidence of treatment quality, service standards and patient outcomes |
| Value for money | 68.4% | Explain what the patient receives and why the cost represents value |
| Knowledge and experience | 68.4% | Make relevant clinician expertise easy to understand |
| Quality assurance in advertising | 71.9% | Use credible proof, standards and clear treatment information |
| Prices in advertising | 64.9% | Give useful cost guidance where it can be stated responsibly |
| Reviews | 52.6% | Connect patient experiences with the treatments and concerns they relate to |
Private dentistry in 2026 is a larger consumer market
The current private dentistry market makes these patient choice questions more commercially significant. The CMA reported in March 2026 that 1 in 5 people in Great Britain used private dental care in 2024. It also said private dental services accounted for 69% of the market in 2025 and cited a UK private dentistry market value of £8.4 billion in 2023 to 2024. Competition and Markets Authority, March 2026
The CMA also highlighted complexity around finding a dentist, understanding prices, comparing treatments and knowing what information to rely on. Its July 2026 work now includes formal consumer research into access, treatment experience, cost transparency, switching and dental payment plans. CMA market study update, July 2026
The General Dental Council found a related confidence gap in 2024. 62% were confident that dental care is high quality when people can access it, while only 32% were confident people can access dental care when they need it. General Dental Council, 2024
What dental practices should take from the research
The strongest conclusion is that patients need uncertainty reduced at every stage. The research supports a patient journey built around clear answers to the questions people are already asking.
Make quality visible
Do not assume a patient can infer quality from a premium looking practice. Explain standards, experience, relevant outcomes and how care is delivered.
Make cost understandable
Use price guidance, treatment ranges, payment information and explanations of what changes the final cost where appropriate.
Make expertise useful
Clinician profiles should answer why a particular dentist is relevant to the treatment being considered.
Use reviews with context
Organise patient evidence around real concerns, treatments and outcomes rather than treating reviews as a generic trust badge.
Design for nervous patients
Reduce uncertainty before the appointment through clear language, predictable next steps and reassuring enquiry journeys.
Connect search to conversion
People search around prices, reviews, qualifications, fear and treatment questions. The website needs to answer those needs before asking for an enquiry.
Explore the wider WLW dental research and growth series
This consumer study is the evidence base for a wider series on how dental practices can improve patient acquisition and conversion. The guides below take the same patient decision factors into specific areas of marketing, websites, search, paid media, content and follow up.
Dental marketing agency
How to connect research, patient trust, search, paid media, websites, content and follow up into a stronger acquisition system.
Read the dental marketing guideDental web design agency
How treatment journeys, clinician proof, pricing, mobile usability and enquiry design affect whether website visitors become patients.
Read the dental web design guideDental SEO agency
How local search, treatment pages, patient questions, technical SEO and authority can help practices get found when patients are choosing care.
Read the dental SEO guideDental PPC and Google Ads
How search intent, campaign structure, landing pages, tracking and treatment value can turn paid search into better patient opportunities.
Read the dental PPC guideDental content marketing
How treatment content, prices, clinician expertise, comparisons and content pillars can build patient confidence, search authority and AI visibility.
Read the dental content guideDental CRM and patient follow up
How lead capture, response, consultation booking, follow up and source to treatment measurement can reduce lost opportunities after the enquiry.
Read the dental CRM and follow up guideUK children’s oral health online benchmark 2026
WLW’s wider healthcare research into how children’s oral health brands compete online across visibility, content, trust and the customer journey.
Read the children’s oral health benchmarkWLW FUTURE dental patient journey review
See where your practice is losing patient confidence
WLW FUTURE can review your website, search visibility, treatment journeys, content, conversion paths and competitor position against the patient decision factors identified in this research.
Book a 15 minute requirements callFrequently asked questions
What do patients look for when choosing a dentist?
In the WLW consumer research, quality and level of service ranked highest at 73.7%. Value for money and dentist knowledge and experience were both selected by 68.4%. Recommendations, empathy, guarantees and online reviews also influenced choice.
How important are dentist prices to patients?
Price is a major consideration. 68.4% of the WLW sample selected value for money when choosing a dentist and 64.9% wanted prices in dental advertising. Current national research also reports that cost influenced treatment choice for 30% of adults and delayed treatment for 23%. Adult Oral Health Survey 2023
Do dental payment plans matter?
Payment plans can help some patients spread and predict costs. The CMA is examining dental payment plans as part of its 2026 consumer journey and choice work, including whether consumers receive enough information to make informed decisions. CMA market study update, July 2026
How common is fear of dentists?
The Adult Oral Health Survey reports that 40% of dentate adults had moderate dental anxiety and a further 15% had extreme dental anxiety. This supports building reassurance into the complete patient journey rather than limiting it to one nervous patient page. Adult Oral Health Survey 2023
Do dentist reviews matter when patients choose a practice?
Yes. Reviews were one of several trust signals in the WLW research. 22.8% selected online reviews when choosing a new dentist and 52.6% wanted reviews in dental advertising. Recommendations from friends or family were selected by 38.6%.
Do patients care about dentist qualifications and experience?
54.4% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they needed to know the experience level of a new dentist before deciding to visit. The CMA’s July 2026 evidence also records consumer difficulty comparing the experience or qualifications of different professionals. CMA market study update, July 2026
How many people use private dentistry in the UK?
The CMA reported that 1 in 5 people in Great Britain used private dental care in 2024. The Adult Oral Health Survey found 29% of adults who had ever visited a dentist reported private care on their most recent visit. The measures are different and should not be treated as directly interchangeable. CMA, March 2026 and Adult Oral Health Survey 2023
Is this a 2026 survey?
The underlying 382 response WLW consumer study predates this publication. The public report was updated in August 2026 by comparing the original consumer findings with current UK evidence from the CMA, General Dental Council and Adult Oral Health Survey.
Sources and methodology
- WLW FUTURE consumer research. Competition led dental consumer study with 382 completed responses. Public findings in this article are limited to consumer attitudes and behaviour. Client specific material is excluded.
- Adult Oral Health Survey 2023: service use and barriers to accessing care. Published by GOV.UK on 17 December 2025. Used for private care, cost and dental anxiety findings.
- General Dental Council: Views and experiences of dentistry 2024. Used for confidence in access and quality of dental care.
- Competition and Markets Authority: CMA launches review of private dentistry. Published 5 March 2026. Used for market size, private dental use and study scope.
- Competition and Markets Authority: Private dental services market study update. Published 17 July 2026. Used for consumer choice, pricing transparency, qualifications, payment plans and call for views evidence.
SEO research note: UK search demand reviewed for this publication included terms around dentist prices, dental costs, dental payment plans, private dentist cost, fear of dentists, dentist reviews, dentist qualifications and how to choose a dentist. Search demand informed headings and language only where the topic was supported by the research.
Research update note: External sources describe different populations, time periods and methodologies. Their statistics are used as current context and have not been merged into the original WLW dataset.
