What Rachel Reeves’ Dental Review Means for You
The headline today is big:
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has asked regulators to investigate private dentistry — specifically concerns around overcharging, overtreatment, and the lack of transparency that patients face every day.
If you’ve ever walked out of a dental appointment feeling confused, unsure what you’re paying for, or worried you’re being pushed into treatments you don’t fully understand… you’re not imagining it.
And you’re definitely not alone.
This announcement is long overdue — and it highlights problems that dentists and patients have been talking about for years.
At Nova, we see the impact of this confusion every single day. People message us because they’ve been quoted thousands for treatment, or they’re not sure whether something is truly necessary. Sometimes the price is fair. Sometimes it’s wildly inflated. And sometimes the issue is simply that nobody has explained the options clearly.
This review could help — but here’s what patients need to understand right now.
Patients are paying over the odds” — sometimes true, sometimes not
Private dentistry is a free market. Prices vary — a lot.
But high doesn’t always mean unfair.
Take wisdom tooth removal as an example:
Some people get quoted £1,500 and panic. But what they haven’t been told is that:
They saw a hospital consultant
Who recommended IV sedation
For a tooth that requires a complex surgical approach
That is not the same treatment as a simple extraction in a high-street clinic. So of course the fees are different.
The issue isn’t always the number — it’s that patients aren’t told why the number is what it is. And that’s where people feel ripped off.
“Overtreatment is a concern” — true, but usually in isolated cases
The media loves to say private dentists push unnecessary treatment. In reality?
True overtreatment is rare, and usually limited to a handful of bad actors.
Most dentists genuinely want to protect your teeth — not drill them.
The bigger problem is unclear communication. When a dentist doesn’t explain why you need something, or what the alternatives are, it can feel like you’re being talked into treatment. Clarity fixes most of this.
“Lack of transparency on price, ownership and quality” — absolutely spot on
This is the big one.
Right now, private dentistry is not transparent enough, and that leaves patients confused.
For example:
Implants: £1,500–£5,000 depending on the surgeon, the lab, the materials, the visibility of the tooth, and the complexity.
Fillings: £100–£500 depending on size, technique, and the dentist’s skill.
Hygiene appointments: £50–£150 depending on equipment, time, and training.
People assume prices are random — but there are reasons for the differences, they’re just not explained.
Add to that the confusing trend where some practices take on children as NHS patients only if the parents sign up privately — which is happening because NHS contracts are desperately thin — and you’ve got a system that feels opaque, even to dentists.
Private dentistry isn’t “the problem” — transparency is
There are affordable private dentists, especially in cities where competition keeps fees down. But, patients don’t always know that.
And they don’t always know what questions to ask, or how to compare prices fairly, or whether the treatment plan they’ve been given is actually appropriate.
That lack of clarity is exactly why Nova was created.
How Nova helps patients navigate this (without the sales pitch)
Nova exists because dental care in the UK is in a tough place.
NHS access is collapsing, private fees vary wildly, and patients don’t know who to trust or what’s reasonable.
Every single week, Zaeem sees people who:
have been quoted for treatment they don’t fully understand
don’t know if the price is normal
feel anxious about committing to something expensive
can’t get a second opinion because their practice is fully booked
are scared of being “sold to”
And the truth is — it upsets him.
It’s one of the reasons this service exists in the first place.
With Nova, people can upload photos, share their symptoms, and get impartial advice from a dentist who has no financial stake in their treatment decisions. The service is here to help you understand:
what’s actually going on
whether the treatment suggested makes sense
what alternatives exist
what a normal price range looks like
whether you should get a second opinion
or whether you can safely leave something alone
It’s free, it’s unbiased, and it’s designed to help people who feel lost.
The takeaway: This review is good news — but patients can take control now
Rachel Reeves’ investigation might lead to better transparency, better regulation, and better protection for patients. But waiting for government action won’t help you if you're dealing with dental pain or confusing treatment plans today.
The best thing you can do is empower yourself with information, compare your options, and ask questions. And if you want support — real support, not sales — Nova is here to help you make sense of it all.
You can submit photos and get clear, unbiased advice here.
