Dental Practice Density Index
England dental desert map: practices per 100,000 population by region
How many CQC-registered dental practices are there per 100,000 people in each England region? Data from the CQC Care Directory (2026-07-15) combined with ONS mid-2024 population estimates.
Key findings
- England has 12,035 CQC-registered dental locations, an average of 20.8 per 100,000 population (ONS mid-2024).
- London has the highest density at 24.6 per 100,000, driven by a concentration of private practices in central areas.
- East Midlands has the lowest density at 17.2 per 100,000, a gap of 7.4 per 100k against the highest-density region.
- The CQC directory registers both NHS and private dental locations. The density measure is a geographic access proxy: it counts practice locations, not individual dentists or dental chairs.
Source: CQC Care Directory (2026-07-15) and ONS Mid-2024 Population Estimates, both under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures may be cited with attribution to Dental Finance Partners.
Dental locations per 100,000 population by region
The chart ranks England regions by CQC-registered dental locations per 100,000 population. This is the standard access measure: higher means more practices relative to the local population.
Total dental locations by region
The chart shows the raw count of CQC-registered dental locations by region. Regions with large populations naturally have more practices in absolute terms, which is why the per-100k measure is the better access indicator.
Regional breakdown
The table below shows all England regions with dental location counts, regional population, and the per-100k density figure.
| Region | Dental locations | Population (mid-2024) | Per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 2,397 | 9,748,000 | 24.6 |
| South East | 2,220 | 9,263,000 | 24.0 |
| North West | 1,522 | 7,480,000 | 20.4 |
| East of England | 1,258 | 6,370,000 | 19.8 |
| South West | 1,139 | 5,778,000 | 19.7 |
| West Midlands | 1,141 | 5,950,000 | 19.2 |
| Yorkshire & Humberside | 1,039 | 5,547,000 | 18.7 |
| North East | 461 | 2,657,000 | 17.4 |
| East Midlands | 855 | 4,960,000 | 17.2 |
| England (known regions) | 12,032 | 57,753,000 | 20.8 |
Methodology and sources
Dental location data. All dental location counts come from the CQC Care Directory, a monthly CSV release by the Care Quality Commission. We filter to rows where the Service types column equals exactly 'Dentist'. Locations are counted by the Region column in the CQC dataset. The CQC registers all dental practices operating in England, regardless of whether they accept NHS patients. Counts are point-in-time as at 2026-07-15.
Population data. Regional population denominators are ONS Mid-2024 Population Estimates for England regions, published 26 September 2025. The ONS 'East of England' region maps to the CQC 'East' label, which is normalised accordingly.
Caveats. The CQC directory may include locations that have closed or are inactive but not yet deregistered. A location is a practice address, not an individual dentist. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are regulated by separate bodies (Care Inspectorate, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, RQIA) and are not included. Data generated 2026-07-20.
- CQC Care Directory (Care Quality Commission)
- Mid-2024 Population Estimates (Office for National Statistics)
Download the density data (CSV)
Free to cite and republish with attribution to Dental Finance Partners. This page is a data summary and does not constitute financial or business advice.
How does practice density affect your finances?
Practice density shapes patient demand, private fee potential, goodwill values, and NHS contract attractiveness in your area. Whether you are buying, selling, or planning your next move, understanding the local market is essential. Our dental accountants work exclusively with dental professionals across all regions.
Frequently asked questions
What is a dental desert?
A dental desert is an area with low access to dental services relative to population. There is no official threshold, but areas with significantly fewer dentists or dental practices per head of population than the England average are commonly described using this term. This index uses CQC-registered dental locations per 100,000 population as the access measure, which is the most granular public data available across England.
Where does this data come from?
Dental location counts come from the CQC Care Directory, a monthly release by the Care Quality Commission of all CQC-registered locations in England. We filter to locations where Service types equals 'Dentist'. Population figures are ONS mid-2024 estimates for England regions, published in September 2025. Both datasets are published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does this count all dentists or just practices?
This counts CQC-registered locations (practices), not individual dentists. A single practice may employ several dentists. The location count is the best publicly available proxy for geographic access. CQC registers both NHS and private practices, so the figures include all dental locations regardless of whether they accept NHS patients. A practice closed or inactive but not yet deregistered may still appear in the CQC directory.
Why does London have the highest dental density?
London has both a high absolute number of dental practices and a concentration of private dental practices serving a dense, mobile population. The capital's higher average income also sustains a larger private sector. Westminster alone has over 260 CQC-registered dental locations. However, access is uneven within London: outer boroughs have lower densities than the centre.
What does dental access mean for my practice finances?
In lower-density regions, NHS contract values may attract more patients, and private pay rates can command a premium due to limited competition. In high-density areas such as London, competition for private patients is higher but patient volumes can also be larger. Understanding the local density picture is one factor in practice valuation, goodwill calculations, and partnership or acquisition decisions. Our dental accountants work with practice principals across all regions.