Fair pay and contracts

Pay

High street NHS dentists have seen a fall in real incomes with no parallel in the public sector. This collapse in pay is putting a struggling workforce under huge pressure, and fuelling an access crisis.

Contract reform

Discredited contracts are fuelling an exodus from the NHS. The payments they receive often bare little relation to the work they do, and some treatments can be delivered at a financial loss. These systems fail high needs patients, who require and deserve more time in the chair.

Pensions

We lobby governments to get a fairer deal on pensions.

Dental Recovery Plan FAQs

Members can access our frequently asked questions, helping you to gain an understanding of the Dental Recovery Plan and what it means for dentists and practices.

Browse FAQs

Industrial action

We campaign for fair pay for all dentists, from negotiating with UK Governments to organising strike action when other routes have been exhausted. Find out about upcoming industrial action and how you can participate.

Find out more

For associates based in England

Associates seeking a pay rise

Are you an associate member practising NHS dentistry in England? Our latest advice, exclusively for BDA members, can help you confidently renegotiate your payments for NHS work. Understand how the annual pay uplift works, why it doesn't directly benefit associates, and how to build a strong case for better pay.

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Latest news

Wales: Spectacular display of bad faith from Ministers on pay

We have slammed attempts by the Welsh Government to pass the buck on record breaking delays on pay uplifts for NHS dentists.

England: Dentists handed pay cut after record-breaking delay

Ministers have now approved a real pay cut for dentists in England, after record-breaking delays.

Understanding your Remediable Pension Savings Statement

New advice about what the information means, and the action you should take.

Pay Award announced for NHS GDP and PDS Dentists in Scotland

Details of the new pay award and when it will be implemented.

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.

Pensions for Armed Forces Reservists

Reservists in the Forces between 2000-2015 may be entitled to backdated membership to the non-contributory Armed Forces pension schemes.

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.

End of industrial action process for hospital trainees

Hospital Dental Trainees in England will soon receive a pay uplift that will amount to an average increase of 22.3% over the course of two years.

Northern Ireland consultants vote to accept pay offer

The BMA Northern Ireland Consultants Committee has formally accepted the Department of Health’s pay offer for consultant doctors and dentists.

Northern Ireland: We seek assurances from the Department of Health on back pay

We are pressing the Department of Health (DoH) to provide assurance to practitioners that the full 6.47% backpay for 2023-24 has now been paid correctly.

Wales: Resolution of disputed volumetric target in GDS contract variation

Many practices in the GDS reform programme have been facing an unobtainable 75% target for historic patients and left wondering how to deliver their contract this year.

Northern Ireland: Health Minister considering response to pay review decision

In response to the UK Government's recent announcement to fully accept the recommendations of the pay review bodies, including the 52nd DDRB Report, we look to the NI Executive to move quickly to apply an above-inflation uplift.