Laing and Buisson - Dental plans buck market spending trends

Private dentistry has decreased by an estimated 7% in real terms over 2008/09 and 2009/10, as consumers cut back, and NHS availability encouraged patients to save on dentistry costs. The survey shows 58% of primary care dentistry spending was on NHS treatment in 2009/10, equivalent to £3.3bn, while the remaining 42% of UK market value was represented by private dentistry, worth some £2.4bn. Private spend is estimated to have peaked at around £2.5bn for the UK in 2007/08, just prior to the economic recession. Elsewhere, the Report reports that dental plans have become more popular, wit...