Tuesday 16 Dec 2025
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.
Contract reform
Dentists across the UK are working to NHS contracts that are not fit for purpose. Without change there is no hope of ending an access crisis impacting millions of patients.
The problem
Discredited contracts are fuelling an exodus from the NHS. Dentists are on a treadmill. The payments they receive often bears 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.
The solution
We've seen tweaks to failed systems. What's required is fundamental reform and sustainable funding alongside a model of care that properly rewards dentists for prevention and supports work with the patients who need care the most.
Our impact
We lead the case for change on behalf of all dentists, in formal negotiations, and in our campaign work to fight for fair pay.
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