The government has responded to the Office of Fair Trading market study of private and NHS dental markets.
The government paper said it will consider whether synergies can be achieved between the existing private and NHS complaint systems; particularly where care complaints were a mixture of private and NHS.
The paper added: "Following discussion with the OFT, the British Dental Association (BDA) has agreed to develop a robust and effective code of practice covering the sale of non-NHS dental payment plans."
The government response welcomed the OFT's five recommendations to discourage and penalise dentists who mislead patients and to improve access to dental care professionals.
The response document stated action had already been taken on many of the report's findings, particularly around increasing transparency of information for patients.
And it added a range of options will be explored to design a new dental contract, including introduction of the concept of ‘any qualified provider' (AQP) into NHS dentistry.
But the response also acknowledged that the OFT findings showed the vast majority of patients were happy with dental treatment.
The government paper said: "We are pleased to note that evidence gathered during the market study shows that dental patients have a high level of satisfaction with the services provided by their dentist."
The OFT's market study covered the UK but the government paper responds to recommendations only as they apply to England.
Those that apply to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, the Department of Health clarified, were a matter for the devolved administrations.
The OFT report in May found that each year 500,000 patients were provided with inaccurate information by dentists about NHS treatments and were potentially paying out for uneccessary private care.
The report made five recommendations to address concerns; provision of clear, accurate and timely information for patients; direct patient access to dental care professionals; reform of the NHS dental contract in England; simplification of the complaints process; and development of a code of practice covering sale of private dental plans.
