Setting Up a Dental Practice in the UK: A Step-by-Step Guide

Setting up a dental practice in England means four things before you see a single patient: registering the business with the Care Quality Commission, making sure everyone on the team is registered with the General Dental Council and indemnified, registering your X-ray equipment with the Health and Safety Executive, and paying the ICO data protection fee. Around those sit the premises, the decontamination room, staff, insurance and, if you want it, an NHS contract. New NHS contracts are arranged by integrated care boards under procurement rules, so ask your local board how it commissions dental services before you count on one.

This guide is for dentists, hygienists and therapists opening their own practice in England. The rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ; there is a short note on them at the end. We checked every rule below against its primary source (legislation.gov.uk, NHS England, the GDC, the HSE, the ICO and gov.uk) on 28 September 2026. It is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice: take professional advice on your own plans.

Squat or buy: the first decision

A squat is a practice you build from nothing: new premises, new equipment, no patients and no contract. Buying an existing practice gets you a patient list, a team and a working surgery, but the price reflects that.

If the practice you are buying holds an NHS contract, the contract itself cannot simply be sold. The Standard General Dental Services Contract says the contractor "shall not give, sell, assign or otherwise dispose of the benefit of any of its rights under this Contract, save in accordance with the Contract". NHS England's Policy Book for primary dental services lists the routes by which the contracting party can change (partnership changes, company changes, retirement, novations, mergers and splits) and warns that "procurement law may be relevant". Our guide to buying a dental practice in the UK covers due diligence and the sale itself.

Step 1: Choose the business structure

You can practise as a sole trader, a partnership or a company. The structure changes who must be registered where:

• Companies. Under section 43 of the Dentists Act 1984, a company that carries on the business of dentistry commits an offence if "a majority of its directors are not persons who are either registered dentists or registered dental care professionals" (GDC: what the law says). The GDC is not a licensing body, so a dental company does not need its approval to set up.
• A registered manager. CQC registration of a company (or other body of persons) must carry a registered manager condition, and so must an individual provider who is not in full-time day-to-day charge of the service (CQC (Registration) Regulations 2009, regulation 5). A dentist running their own practice full time may not need a separate registered manager; check CQC's guidance for partnerships before you apply.

Step 2: Register with the CQC before you treat anyone

Dental treatment is a regulated activity, and carrying one on without registration is a criminal offence under section 10 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. NHS England's Policy Book is blunt: "A practice cannot commence seeing patients until they have received their registration certificate with the regulated activities included."

• Statement of purpose. You must give the CQC a statement of purpose and tell it of any revision within 28 days (regulation 12).
• How long it takes. The CQC does not publish a dental-specific timescale. Its annual report for 2024/25 says the share of applications more than 10 weeks old fell from 54% to 28% over that year, with a target of none by the end of 2025/26. Build months, not weeks, into your plan, and do not fix an opening date until the certificate is issued.
• Fees. Registered providers pay an annual fee "based on the type and scale of services provided", invoiced on the anniversary of registration. Check the current dental fees on the CQC website before you budget.

Step 3: GDC registration and indemnity for the whole team

"All dental professionals must be registered with the GDC before they can work in the UK" (GDC: employment and registration). From 1 June 2026, new trainee dental nurses must start a recognised training programme within 12 months of starting work, and every trainee needs a structured induction before any duties.

Indemnity is a legal requirement too: "Dental professionals are required by law to have appropriate indemnity or insurance in place before they practise" (GDC indemnity guidance). As an owner, you also carry a duty for patients treated by associates. Dental Protection advises owners to make sure associate contracts "contain the requirement that associates holds their own indemnity" and to check it regularly (Dental Protection). Our guide to dental associate contracts covers the rest.

The GDC's Standards for the Dental Team (effective since 30 September 2013) still apply; a replacement framework was consulted on until 31 August 2026 but no new start date has been set. Those who manage a team must display, where patients can see it, the fact that they are regulated by the GDC.

Step 4: Decide how the practice will be paid: NHS, private or plan

Since April 2023, NHS England has delegated the commissioning of dental services to integrated care boards (ICBs). There are two main contract types: a General Dental Services (GDS) contract, which is permanent, and a Personal Dental Services (PDS) agreement, which is time-limited (NHS England). New contracts are arranged under the Provider Selection Regime, in force since 1 January 2024; the Policy Book warns that a direct award "without considering whether a competitive process is required … risks being a breach of procurement law". Ask your ICB how and when it commissions dental services.

• A GDS contract can be held by a dentist, a dental corporation, or a partnership or LLP with at least one dentist (NHS Act 2006, section 102).
• Any dentist doing NHS work must join the Dental Performers List.
• If you take on an NHS contract, read the 2026 contract reforms: urgent-care requirements from 1 April 2026 and complex-care pathways from 23 June 2026. Our summary of the NHS dental contract changes for 2026 explains what they mean for a practice.

Private fees and membership plans are the alternative, and many practices mix all three. See our guides to mixing NHS and private dental treatment and dental membership plans.

Step 5: Premises, decontamination and X-ray

• Planning. In England, medical and health services fall in Use Class E(e). Check with the local planning authority whether your premises need permission.
• Decontamination. HTM 01-05 advises that where new practices are commissioned or new premises contemplated, "the full best practice provisions of this guidance be utilised wherever reasonably practicable": a validated washer-disinfector and decontamination facilities "clearly separate from the clinical treatment area". Audit the process every six months and keep an infection control policy.
• Waste. Follow HTM 07-01 (2023) on healthcare waste.
• X-ray. Dental X-ray equipment needs registration with the HSE, and you must not start the work until it is issued (IRR17 regulation 6). Appoint a radiation protection adviser in writing (regulation 14), and put in place the written employer's procedures that IR(ME)R 2017 requires; the CQC enforces IR(ME)R in England. The College of General Dentistry's Dental Guidance Notes set the standards for dental X-ray safety.
• Fire and access. The responsible person must carry out and review a fire risk assessment, and the Equality Act 2010 requires service providers to think ahead about barriers for disabled patients, including the building itself.

Step 6: Data protection and the ICO fee

A dental practice processes health data, which the ICO treats as special category data, including "appointment details, reminders and invoices which tell you something about the health of the individual" (ICO). Most organisations must pay the data protection fee: £52 for tier 1 (turnover up to £632,000 or no more than 10 staff), £78 for tier 2 and £3,763 for tier 3, with £5 off by direct debit. A practice with access to NHS patient information must also complete the Data Security and Protection Toolkit by 30 June each year. Our GDPR guide for dental practices covers privacy notices and retention.

Step 7: Staff and insurance

As soon as you employ anyone you must hold employers' liability insurance covering at least £5 million; you can be fined £2,500 for every day you are not properly insured. That is separate from each clinician's professional indemnity. Plan the team around the treatments you will offer: dentists, hygienists or therapists, nurses and reception.

What it costs and how long it takes

No official source publishes start-up costs. The figures below come from firms that sell finance, equipment or services to new practices, so treat them as rough ranges:

• Total cost: about £200,000 to £500,000, with around £250,000 a common middle figure (Samera, myPOS, Anglian Dental).
• Time to open a squat: roughly 6 to 12 months (Anglian Dental, Samera).
• Finance: lenders may fund around half the cost of a squat, compared with 80% to 90% of the price of an established practice (Practice Plan, quoting Frank Taylor & Associates).

Get quotes for your own premises, equipment and fit-out before you borrow, and add the CQC, GDC, ICO and insurance costs to the list.

Setting up as a hygienist or therapist

Since 2013, hygienists and therapists can see patients without a referral: "Dental hygienists and dental therapists can carry out their full scope of practice (except tooth whitening) without referral from a dentist" (GDC: direct access). Independent practice without a dentist is recognised, as long as there are clear arrangements to refer patients who need a dentist. Under section 41 of the Dentists Act and the GDC's 2006 rules, registered hygienists and therapists may carry on the business of dentistry as individuals, and they count towards the registered-director majority in a company. You need your own indemnity for direct access, and tooth whitening still needs a dentist's prescription. Whether an ICB would award an NHS contract to a practice led by a hygienist or therapist is a question to put to the ICB.

Winning patients before opening day

A new practice has no patient list, so start early: a practice website with online booking, a Google Business Profile and local search work all take time to build. Our guide on how to attract new dental patients has the detail.

IT and practice software

Choose your practice management software two to three months before opening, so the diary, treatment list, prices and website are ready when the CQC certificate arrives. Our new dental practice software checklist covers what to have live on day one. DentiPoint is one option: the diary, records, online booking, payments and your practice website in one dental practice management system. It does not submit NHS FP17 claims; those go to the NHSBSA through your practice's own route.

A checklist for opening day

1. Business structure chosen, and company directors registered with the GDC where needed.
2. CQC registration certificate issued for the right regulated activities, with a registered manager if required.
3. Every clinician GDC-registered and indemnified; trainee nurses enrolled or due to enrol.
4. Premises: planning checked, HTM 01-05 decontamination in place, waste contracts signed.
5. X-ray: HSE registration issued, radiation protection adviser appointed, IR(ME)R procedures written.
6. Fire risk assessment done and access barriers considered.
7. ICO fee paid; Data Security and Protection Toolkit planned if you will hold NHS patient information.
8. Employers' liability insurance in place.
9. Website, booking and practice software live.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

This guide covers England. In Wales, private dental practices must register with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales before providing private dentistry. In Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland registers independent clinics, including private dental practices, and quotes current registration timescales of about three months. Northern Ireland has its own regulator; check its requirements directly.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to set up a dental practice?

Industry estimates put a new (squat) practice at roughly 6 to 12 months from plan to opening. The CQC registration is often the longest single wait, and you cannot see patients until the certificate is issued.

How much does it cost to start a dental practice in the UK?

Firms that advise new practices quote roughly £200,000 to £500,000, most often around £250,000. No official figure exists, so price your own premises, equipment and fit-out before you commit.

Can a new dental practice get an NHS contract?

NHS dental contracts are arranged by integrated care boards under the Provider Selection Regime, and NHS England warns that a direct award made without considering a competitive process risks breaching procurement law. Ask your ICB how and when it commissions dental services, and check the business also works on private and plan income.

Do I need a registered manager?

A company must have one. So must an individual provider who is not in full-time day-to-day charge of the service. A dentist running their own practice full time may not; check CQC's guidance for your structure.

Can a dental hygienist open their own practice?

Yes. Hygienists and therapists can carry on the business of dentistry and see patients by direct access, with their own indemnity and clear arrangements to refer patients to a dentist.

Do I need to register dental X-ray equipment?

Yes. Dental X-ray work needs HSE registration before it starts, a radiation protection adviser appointed in writing, and written IR(ME)R procedures.

Planning the systems side next? Start with our new dental practice software checklist, and see pricing when you are ready to try DentiPoint free for 30 days.