BDA Lobbying in Wales

About our work

The BDA and its elected committees seek to improve conditions for the delivery of dental services across Wales, negotiating with elected representatives and Government bodies, as well as influencing other key-decision makers, including educational institutions and non-statutory organisations.

National priorities

In Wales, we have identified that access for new patients is the worst in the UK, having a significant impact on oral health across the nation. We need contract reform that fairly remunerates practices, dentists, and Dental Care Professionals and keeps pace with inflation in the future.

We are calling on the Government to:

Understand the scale of the service problem and monitor future remedies
Collect PCR centrally via Local Health Boards and restructure it into a simplified fee
Account for the changing demography in Wales and future population requirements
Deliver a Dental Workforce Plan, including an evidence-based review
Invest more funding into community intervention programmes
Balance Community Dental Service pressures with additional investment.

Committee representation

Dentists working in Wales are represented through the

Wales also holds one seat on the Principal Executive Committee (PEC), which sets our policy and strategic direction.

Staff based in Wales

Caroline Seddon - BDA Wales National Director

Alun McLean  - Employment Relations Officer

Andrea Greatrex - Salaried Groups Support Officer

Christie Owen - Policy and Committee Officer

Our staff in Wales are homeworkers but correspondence can be forwarded to our Head Office.

Stay in touch

Members: If you'd like to be kept informed about developments make sure your contact details are up-to-date on your My BDA account and tick the boxes 'News & campaigns' and 'Member newsletters' under 'Communication preferences' to get latest news updates.

Not a member? Sign up to our website and join the 'News & campaigns' list for all the latest updates.

Contact our Wales office

Latest news

Wales: Calling out the spin

For too long the Welsh Government have offered spin, half-truths or doublespeak on dentistry. So, we are calling it out.

Wales: Prospects for a new General Dental Service contract in 2026

While formal contract negotiations with Welsh Government and NHS Wales have concluded, there remains considerable work to bring the new reformed GDS contract to fruition in 2026.

Still awaiting uplift confirmation on NHS GDP uplifts

Governments across the UK are yet to confirm the figure for the uplift to apply to NHS general dental practice fees and contracts.

Tell us about the pressures you face in our short GDP survey

We want to understand your views on NHS pay, dentists leaving the field, and patient access to vital services. Make sure your voice gets heard at the most pivotal moment for the profession in decades.

Access crisis has a body count – please share your feedback

With ongoing access issues, fuelling oral health problems we are calling on dentists UK-wide to share their feedback on what they are seeing at the chairside.

Antimicrobial resistance awareness week resources

Ahead of World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week, and throughout the year, we continue to work nationally and internationally to address the role of dentistry in AMR.

Workforce Matters Seminar held in Wales

In Wales, significant reforms to dentistry and the dental workforce are underway.

Understanding and confronting sexual harassment at work

Research shows that sexual harassment is a widespread problem in the workplace.

Dentists call on government to extend free school meals to every child

Today, we delivered a joint open letter and petition to 10 Downing Street, calling on the Prime Minister to follow the example of the Welsh and Scottish Governments in extending the provision of free school meals to every child in primary school in England.

More dentists no 'Magic Bullet' to fix broken systems

In what marks a first the General Dental Council has gone on the record stating bringing in more dentists will not solve problems fuelled by broken contracts.

LDC Conference: NHS dentistry at a tipping point UK wide

Post covid recovery of services will depend on effective reform, with fair and sustainable funding for NHS dentistry. This was the clear message that emerged from dental leaders at this year's LDC conference.

NHS dentistry: PM must drop the spin and accept the facts

The government need to drop any pretence that NHS dentistry is on the road to recovery and to deliver a much-needed rescue package, alongside a pledge for reform of the contract.