Overview
Starting from 1 April 2026, NHS dentistry in Wales will transition to a changed national contract that will permanently replace the 2006 Units of Dental Activity (UDA)-based system. For practices this will mean that NHS income will now be segmented, with approximately 70% being paid for the delivery of care packages, and other amounts being paid for urgent care access, new patient assessments, recalls, prevention services, and other national priorities.
Our advice sets out what these changes will mean for you in practical terms when you are updating your associate contracts. In this guidance, we explain the contractual approach, how it affects the relationship between the practice and your associates, and the steps that you should take to ensure that the working arrangement continues to meet NHS requirements. We outline how the remuneration mechanism has been redesigned and why this means that licence fees now play a more important role in your contractual arrangements with your associates.
Our revised Associate Contract for Wales introduces a shift in the payment structure. Associates will now receive money based only on the income they actually generate, and the practice will also receive a licence fee from the associate which is based on that income. If an associate underperforms on their target, both the associate and the practice will earn less money.
While this approach does simplify the financial interaction somewhat, it also requires practice owners to maintain robust systems for monitoring activity and delivery levels. Being mindful to ensure that your delivery data is accurate and timely will be essential to protect your practice income. Doing this will also help you to make sure that you meet your contractual requirements and maintain a positive working relationship with the associates at your practice who are providing treatments to patients under the new Welsh NHS model.