Read between the lines
The Competition and Markets Authority may be talking about prices, competition and consumer experience — but if you read between the lines, this is really about consent.
Consent is where regulation is heading (whether it says so or not)
When regulators talk about price transparency, treatment options, consumer choice, complaints and redress — they’re describing the components of valid consent.
Do they understand the cost before they commit?
Do they understand all reasonable options — including doing nothing?
Do they feel free to choose, without pressure or bias?
Can they reflect, question, and decide?
The real risk isn’t your fees — it’s gaps in understanding
The practices most exposed won’t simply be the most expensive, the busiest, or the most corporate. They’ll be the ones where patients later say:
The veterinary report is a warning — and a blueprint
What the CMA effectively outlined is a standardised consent journey:
This is where independent practices can win
The shift plays to your strengths — time for conversations, continuity of care, personal trust. But trust alone is no longer enough. Patients and regulators increasingly want evidence of understanding, not just intention.
The mindset shift
The bottom line
The future of private dentistry will favour practices that can prove patients understood — not just that they were told.