Rooting out the harm: UK's private dentistry nightmare exposed

People turning to private dentists amid an NHS shortage are facing widespread issues, including botched treatments and hidden costs, Which? research has found.

In one case, a root canal treatment initially quoted at £3,400 tripled to more than £10,000. Another person was left in agony due to exposed tooth roots during a crown replacement.

In our survey of people who had encountered recent problems with dental treatment, nearly four in 10 said they'd experienced excessive costs.

Pricing is a main concern

In May, we surveyed 1,009* adults who had experienced a problem with their private dental treatment in the past two years.

We found that pricing was the main concern, with four in 10 saying they felt costs were excessive, one in five ultimately paying more than they were quoted, and another one in five saying pricing was unclear upfront.

But physical harm was an issue too. A quarter told Which? they were dissatisfied with the quality of their treatment, and one in 10 reported a direct clinical mistake by their dentist.

Other problems highlighted in our survey included feeling pressured into specific treatments, which was reported by one in six, and being forced onto monthly dental payment plans – one in eight experienced this.

Read more: private vs NHS dental charges

Trapped patients struggle to get redress

In one particularly bad case, Marc told Which? he was initially quoted £3,400 for a root canal following a football injury, but said his costs ballooned past £10,000 when several procedural failures meant he was repeatedly charged for further treatment.

Marc ultimately recovered two thirds of the associated costs after filing a complaint against the practice with the Dental Complaints Service, but he told Which? he decided not to pursue further compensation because he feared being left without access to dental care.

Which? also spoke to Becky, who said she was 'held ransom' after querying an incorrect £125 fee following a whitening offer. 

She told Which? that the practice subsequently refused to book routine check-ups for both her and her young child until the disputed sum was paid.

A third patient, Richard, told Which? that he went to a private dentist for a routine crown replacement but was left in agonising pain with exposed tooth roots after difficulties during the procedure. 

He was subsequently moved between different practices within the same corporate group, with his total costs eventually rising above £2,000. Richard said he felt trapped by the situation and ultimately abandoned his complaint.  

Read more: best dentist chains

Reluctant to complain

Despite the serious problems patients encountered, most were reluctant to complain. More than six in 10 chose not to complain to their practice about the problem they encountered.

The most common reasons for this were fear of damaging their relationship with their dentist and believing that making a complaint would not make a difference. 

Even among those who did complain, nearly half said they received only a verbal apology, without a financial or clinical resolution.

Over a quarter were dissatisfied with how their complaint was handled, while three in 10 were unhappy with the outcome.

Unlike NHS patients, who can escalate unresolved complaints to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), private dental patients have no equivalent ombudsman to turn to.

Patients must first complain directly to their dental practice. If the issue remains unresolved, they can approach the Dental Complaints Service (DCS), which can help facilitate mediation and make recommendations.

However, it cannot award compensation for any pain, distress or inconvenience, and its recommendations are not legally binding, leaving patients without an equivalent route to an independent decision on their dispute.

Close the gap in consumer protection

Which? is calling on the government and regulators to close this glaring gap in consumer protection by giving private dentistry patients access to an ombudsman that can investigate disputes and issue binding decisions over all dental practices. 

All private dental practices should also be required to clearly signpost patients to the complaints process, so no one is left without a clear route to justice when treatment goes wrong.

Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, said: 'People paying hundreds or even thousands of pounds for dental treatment should have clear rights when something goes wrong – yet private patients can be left with nowhere meaningful to turn.

'Our research found people facing unexpected bills, treatment problems and complaints that ended with little more than an apology, while some were too worried about damaging their relationship with their dentist to complain at all.

'Private dental patients deserve the same level of protection as people using other essential services. The government and regulators must ensure that consumers can access a mandatory independent ombudsman for private dentistry, with powers to make binding decisions and award redress, alongside compulsory signposting to the complaints process.'

*In May 2026, Which? surveyed 1,009 adults aged 18 and above who had experienced problems, or whose dependents had experienced problems, with private dental treatment within the past two years.