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.

Industrial action

We campaign for fair pay for all dentists, a mandate which stretches from negotiating with government to organising strike action when other routes have been exhausted.

BDA support: NHS England abolition

Last year, the Government confirmed the abolition of NHS England, a 50 per cent reduction in its central workforce, and a transition of these functions into a transformed Department for Health and Social Care. As this process continues, we are here as your trade union to support any members affected by these changes.

BDA support: Academia

As concerns rise about university finances, we are working to support our members working in academia.

NHS system reform

UDA contract changes: What you need to know

From 1 April 2026, the NHS contract in England will change in a number of areas from urgent care to complex care, and prevention to quality improvement. We will be supporting our members every step of the way.

Find out more

UDA contract changes in England - decorative

Latest news

Wales: Callousness or incompetence

Dentists given weekend to decide future of NHS provision.

Scotland: Prior approval and mandatory training changes announced

The Scottish Government have said Payment Reform was intended as a first step in ensuring sustainability of NHS dental services. The announcement made in PCA(D)(2026)2 outlines the next steps in the reform programme for NHS dental services.

Northern Ireland: Earlier payment date confirmed for 2025-26 General Dental Services arrears

Our intervention on the unacceptable delay has resulted in accelerated payments.

Northern Ireland: Update on DDRB pay uplift payment dates

The latest on DDRB fee uplifts and other payments.

Government tie hands of practices on urgent care

Government’s move to force practices to deliver a minimum level of urgent and unscheduled care is wrong in principle and ignores the reality that demand for these treatments is not one size fits all.

England: Interim change may help but cannot be end of the road

We hope that interim changes to the discredited NHS dental contract will offer a boost for patients and practitioners but this is not the wholesale change required.

England: Urgent care scheme revised and reopened

NHS England has now revised and reopened applications to its urgent care scheme, following our feedback.

Northern Ireland: Pay uplift approved

Dentists to receive backdated uplift, with commitments to prioritising future pay awards.

12 percent ARF hike only adds to pressure on dentists

General Dental Council confirms it will raise the Annual Retention Fees (ARF) by 12.4% in 2026. Every penny of this increase must be justified.

Scotland: Additional SDR changes from 1 November 2025

The Scottish Government has responded to our calls by bringing forward a number of amendments to the Statement of Dental Remuneration (SDR).

Scotland: The end of 9:1 contracts for consultants

A move towards job plans that are more sustainable and tailored.

Scotland: Download our 2025-26 fees guide

The 2025-26 BDA fees guide is now available to member dentists in Scotland.