From 30 September 2026, there are more flexible rules about how GDPs in England qualify for NHS maternity, paternity and adoption pay, as well as long-term sickness pay.
It is a change that brings NHS eligibility rules into line with the way many dentists now work and train.
A fairer system for today’s workforce
Until now, GDPs needed to have worked continuously for 26 weeks in NHS General Dental Services to qualify for these benefits. Entirely unfairly, other NHS work was not counted towards qualification for these NHS payments.
This created situations that simply did not make sense. You could have spent years working within the NHS, contributing to patient care and developing your skills, yet still find yourself ineligible for support when you need it the most.
Previously, you could have completed Dental Foundation Training (DFT), followed by Dental Core Training (DCT) years one and two, accumulating three years of NHS work before moving into general dental practice. Despite that experience, you could still find yourself ineligible for NHS parental leave payments because those first three years were not recognised.
The rules simply did not reflect the reality of how many dentists build their careers today.
Recognising modern dental careers
From now on, all NHS work will contribute towards your eligibility for NHS parental leave and long-term sickness payments.
This means that you can move between roles in the practice, hospitals and community, confident that you are not going to miss out on vital support.
We have pushed for and secured these changes because we know that dental careers have evolved.
Flexibility is not just a buzzword. Many dentists now work across different settings, pursue specialist training, or combine multiple roles throughout their careers. It is the reality of how we practise dentistry.
NHS terms and conditions need to recognise that.
Why this change matters to me
I know from my own career how common these pathways have become.
After completing DFT, I’ve largely worked in hospitals through DCT years one and two, and now as a senior orthodontic registrar (or Post-Certificate of Completion of Specialty Training) in Birmingham. I endeavour to combine that hospital role with working in orthodontic practice in Cheltenham.
In dentistry, this isn’t what I would describe as a ‘flexible career’. It is simply a career.
Many colleagues will recognise this experience. It can’t be right that NHS rules are written so rigidly that normal career progression could leave us losing out on something as important as maternity leave altogether.
These benefits provide an essential safety net.
No dentist should have to choose between pursuing their career and maintaining access to NHS support.
This is essential peace of mind for aspiring parents, like me.
Support when we need it most
Ultimately, these payments exist because we are not just dentists. We are people first. We have families, experience illness, and have responsibilities outside of work, just like everyone else.
Maternity, paternity, adoption and long-term sickness payments are there to provide support during some of life’s most significant moments. They offer security at times when financial uncertainty can create additional pressure.
That is why it is so important that eligibility rules are fair and reflective of modern working patterns.
A positive step forward
I’m very grateful that the BDA has given dentists like me the security that we can continue to work across different NHS roles without sacrificing access to the benefits we have earned through our service.
The BDA’s expert advice team has produced guidance to help you understand how you can benefit from these changes, and from NHS parental leave and sickness payments more generally.
This is an important step towards ensuring NHS support arrangements reflect the diverse career paths that many dentists now follow.
I am proud to be part of a BDA that backs flexible careers, secures improvements to our terms and conditions, and wants better working lives for all dentists, regardless of the career path we choose for ourselves.
