Campaigning for change in UK dentistry

Priorities

Learn about our current priorities.

Lobbying

Learn about our lobbying work in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Take action

Learn how to get involved in our campaigns.

Campaigns and advocacy

The future of NHS dentistry: Our comprehensive plan

Dire need for change requires concrete reform. We have set out to government how we think dentistry needs to change to the benefit of dentists and your patients.

Read now

Delivering results for the profession

Our impact in 2024

Over the past year, we’ve been expanding our membership offering, championing political change, and shaping the future of dentistry across the UK. From key victories in NHS reform to supporting our members, discover how we’ve been making an impact—for dentistry and for you.

View the BDA Impact report 2024

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Representing you

Our vision for the CDS

The nation’s ability to deliver dental treatment for some of the most vulnerable groups in our society is at risk. Our vision is a call to action from English community dentists themselves on how to end a crisis that has gone under the radar of decision makers for far too long, asking all parties involved with community dentistry to make sure the service is finally given the priority it deserves.

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Latest news

Getting involved: Giving associates a strong voice in the BDA

Contractual issues and rights and freedoms were discussed at the latest GDPC Associates Sub-committee meeting.

Take part in the NHS cost-of-service exercise

With the Government now assessing the cost of delivering NHS dentistry, we encourage all practices in England to help us make the case for fair funding, before 16 June.

Sign our petition: Make sugar the new tobacco

Our latest research highlights the shocking amount of sugar in some baby food pouches, and we are encouraging all dental team members to join our call for government to take action.

Dental health crisis hitting women hardest

We're proud to join our friends from the National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI) in Westminster today for the launch of their latest campaign report, lifting the lid on how the access crisis is hitting women the hardest and deepening a uniquely gendered health crisis.

Welfare reform has pushed millions away from NHS dentistry

With up to half a million recipients of Tax Credit Certificates set to lose their access to free NHS dental care from April 6 we have interrogated official data, and found millions of patients have stopped accessing NHS dentistry since the transition to Universal Credit (UC), since transition began under the last government.

Northern Ireland: Fixing the CDS workforce crisis - The starting gun has been fired

We’ve issued the challenge to the authorities in Northern Ireland that workforce growth in the community dental services needs to start now.

Northern Ireland: Demanding clarity on backpay

We are insisting on urgent clarity on pay for GDPs in Northern Ireland, following a Department of Health announcement that backdated pay will not be implemented until at least May 2025.

Dental public health – vital jobs left on the line

With NHSE set to be abolished, we're leading the defence of a vital dental public function and calling for funds to be put to work on the frontline

Charges to rise: More stealth cuts from the Treasury

The latest increase in NHS patient charges have landed, another round of ‘stealth cuts’ that will not put a penny into the cash-strapped service.

Updates to the Scottish Dental Access Initiative and Recruitment and Retention Allowance

The latest remuneration changes in Scotland.

Dentists: Skimping on urgent care is fuelling antibiotic resistance

In an open letter to Wes Streeting, we have warned that a failure to fully meet demand for urgent dental care will only increase the pressures on our health service, as antibiotics become a substitute for treatment.

Government meeting less than 1/3 of unmet need for urgent care

Following a string of reports of DIY dentistry, and death – or near death – experiences from dental infections, we’ve found that government discovered demand for urgent care of 2.2 million but covered less than a third of it.   