the market for dentists and dental practices | France

1.1 Definition and scope of study

Dentistry is the practice of dental doctors  (or dental surgeons), i.e. the study and care of teeth (enamel), jaws and related tissues.

In France, this profession is marked by a real liberal tradition with 81.4% of dentists being private exclusive practitioners, thus creating a competitive market in this sector of medicine where hospital activity is very limited. The majority of dental surgeons are grouped in structures that can be of 4 types: SCM (Civil Practice), SCP (Civil Professional Practice), SELARL (Free exercise Practice) and SISA (Interpresional and Ambulatory Care Practice).

The world market for dentistry is carried by a aging world population. Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of people over the age of 60 in the world will double according to the WHO and a greater attention to personal hygiene will be paid. The CAGR (combined annual growth rate) of the world market is thus estimated at 7.4% between 2014 and 2019 This growth can also be explained by the fact that emerging and developing countries are seeing an increasing proportion of their populations gain access to dental care, as is the case in the Chinese market, which is experiencing the strongest growth in the world.

Concentrated in metropolitan France and major cities, the French market has over 42,000 dental surgeons. Like the world market, the French market is growing, with a progression of 15% between 2010 and 2019 and 2.5% between 2018 and 2019. The most important segment of the national market remains the conservative care which accounts for 51% of dental care expenditures. The sector with the strongest growth momentum is Implantology (this segment is the subject of a Businesscoot study in its own right).

The French market is mainly driven by an ageing population, an improving overall oral health and government intervention. Cost remains the main obstacle to French consumers. However, the measures introduced by the National Convention of Dental Surgeons in April 2019 aim to facilitate access to dental care and to promote conservative care to encourage prevention.