We created Dental PX on our own 25 yrs experience in managing customer and patient experiences for the UK consumer. We defined Dental PX by researching and finding compelling UK dental industry data, here are the key statistics that demonstrate why dentists need services like DentalPX:
Market Scale and Treatment Volume
The UK dental industry represents a significant £7.7 billion market in 2024 [[1]], handling substantial patient volumes with 34 million courses of dental treatment delivered – a 4.3% increase from the previous year [[3]]. This scale demonstrates the massive opportunity for optimization in patient journey management.
Patient Access and Retention Challenges
NHS Access Issues
Despite the large market, access remains problematic. Only 52.1% of adults report having an NHS dentist [[7]], and among those seeking care, 34% tried to get an NHS dental appointment within the last six months, with 21% attempting within just the last three months [[4]]. This indicates significant unmet demand and scheduling inefficiencies.
Patient Loyalty Crisis
A critical statistic reveals that search volume for “Change Dentist” has skyrocketed by 65.2% over the past 5 years in the UK [[8]]. This dramatic increase suggests widespread patient dissatisfaction and highlights the urgent need for improved patient experience and retention strategies.
Service Delivery Gaps
The data shows that 18 million adult patients were seen over a 24-month period [[3]], yet with government plans to fund an additional 1.5 million NHS dentistry treatments or 2.5 million appointments [[5]], there’s clear recognition of current service delivery shortfalls.
Patient Retention Challenges
Research indicates that patient retention rates are crucial metrics, as high retention demonstrates patient trust and satisfaction [[6]]. However, the 65.2% increase in people searching to change dentists [[8]] suggests many practices are failing to maintain patient loyalty.
The DentalPX Solution Context
These statistics reveal three critical areas where DentalPX services become essential:
- Conversion Optimization: With such high demand (34% seeking appointments in six months [[4]]) and limited supply, practices must maximize every enquiry conversion.
- Patient Experience: The dramatic 65.2% increase in dentist-switching searches [[8]] indicates poor patient journey management is driving patient loss.
- Operational Efficiency: In a £7.7 billion market [[1]] with 34 million treatments annually [[3]], even small improvements in patient journey efficiency translate to significant revenue gains.
The combination of high market value, access challenges, and patient loyalty issues creates a compelling case for professional patient journey management services like DentalPX to help practices capture, convert, and retain patients more effectively.
References:
[1]: https://www.followapp.care/200-dental-industry-statistics-for-2024/
[2]: https://samera.co.uk/learning-center/climate-dental-practice-growth-uk/
[3]: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324
[4]: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/GP-Survey-Dental-Results-Summary-January-to-March-2023-PDF-503KB.pdf
[5]: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-plan-to-recover-and-reform-nhs-dentistry/faster-simpler-and-fairer-our-plan-to-recover-and-reform-nhs-dentistry
[6]: https://www.thecreativecomposite.co.uk/6-key-metrics-to-monitor-for-dental-practice-growth/
[7]: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthcaresystem/bulletins/experiencesofnhshealthcareservicesinengland/september2024
[8]: https://www.followapp.care/unique-dental-patient-online-search-trends-you-need-to-know-for-2024/
[9]: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics/nhs-dental-statistics-annex-5-data-quality
[10]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Health_Service_(England)
