A fifth of UK-registered dentists said they only deliver private care with no NHS activity, the General Dental Council (GDC) has revealed.
More than one third of dentists (34%) said they provide 75% or more private care – with 20% carrying out no NHS treatment at all. The percentage of dentists delivering only private dentistry has remained the same as 2025, rising by just 1% since 2024.
These figures were released by the GDC today (17 March) as part of its working patterns data for 2026.
Three quarters (75%) of all GDC-registered dentists across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland provided data to the GDC. Of these, 99% were working in the dental sector, while the remaining 1% were actively seeking work within it.
Almost nine in 10 dentists surveyed (89%) were working primarily as a dentist, with 9% as a specialist and 1% as a clinical dental technician.
‘Our picture of the dental workforce becomes more valuable’
Theresa Thorp, executive director of regulation at the GDC, said: ‘Three quarters of registered dentists have now contributed to this survey, and with each annual renewal cycle, our picture of the dental workforce becomes more valuable.
‘The data provides important insights into working hours, practice settings, employment arrangements and the balance between NHS and private provision. We are confident that these findings will support strategic planning by health services, governments and dental providers, and ultimately, help patients receive the care they need.
‘We remain committed to this work and encourage all dental professionals to keep their information up to date.’
The working patterns data is collected each year during the annual renewal period. This year’s publication is the third set of data that the GDC has collated and revealed publicly.
Since data collection began in 2023, a total of 35,474 dentists across the UK have responded.
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