Go to content

Leave entitlements

This advice describes the contractual annual leave entitlement of dentists employed under the national terms and conditions for the Community Dental Service (CDS) in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and the Public Dental Service (PDS) in Scotland.

All UK workers, including bank and agency staff, have a statutory right to receive, as a minimum, 5.6 weeks’ paid leave per year, including bank holidays (The Working Time Regulations 1998).

This advice describes the contractual annual leave entitlement of dentists employed under the national terms and conditions for the Community Dental Service (CDS) in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and the Public Dental Service (PDS) in Scotland. The term ‘salaried service’ is used to refer to the CDS and PDS. Information about special leave and employment breaks is also included.

Dentists employed in other settings (universities and armed forces, for example) should check their own terms and conditions of employment, which usually provide for more generous annual leave than the statutory minimum.