Brasília, November 26, 2025 — Brazil’s CADE has approved 15 cease-and-desist agreements with regional dental councils accused of restricting how dentists set prices, securing BRL 1.65 million (approximately $310,355) in payments to the national consumer-protection fund.
The settlements resolve an inquiry opened in March 2025 after a complaint alleged that the Federal Council of Dentistry had warned on its website and Instagram page that offering discounts could constitute disciplinary violations. CADE’s General Superintendence ordered the removal of the posts and halted related disciplinary cases while the investigation proceeded.
According to CADE, 24 councils had reproduced the federal council’s messaging, prompting concerns that professional bodies were attempting to control market pricing. As the probe advanced, 15 councils negotiated commitments that were approved by CADE’s tribunal.
Under the agreements, the councils will stop opening or pursuing disciplinary cases tied to discounts or payment conditions, except where sector-specific rules prohibit advertising of prices or free services. They must also notify registered professionals, publish the public versions of the agreements on their websites, and cooperate with CADE during the term of the commitments.
Payments will go to Brazil’s Fund for the Defense of Diffuse Rights. Individual amounts range from BRL 50,000 to BRL 315,000, based on proportionality, economic capacity, and precedent.
