The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has this week opened a consultation on proposed changes to the NHS dental contract.
The NHS dental contract quality and payment reforms 2026 represent a significant and essential step on the journey to improve access to and quality of NHS dentistry.
Developed following engagement with the profession, the proposed changes aim to improve access for those requiring urgent care, enhance treatment pathways for complex cases, and deliver better preventative care for children.
This includes shifting away from the unit of dental activity (UDA) system towards a more balanced approach prioritising patient needs and professional fulfilment as well as creating fairer funding for complex treatments, and developing new clinical pathways that integrate prevention and treatment. These changes should also help practices use the full dental team effectively while focusing resources where they're most needed.
The consultation is open for six weeks and will close at 11.59pm on 19 August 2025 and is open to staff working in NHS dentistry, commissioners, patients and organisations with experience in the dental sector are encouraged to submit their feedback on the proposals.
Any queries on the consultation can be directed to: dentistrycontract2026@dhsc.gov.uk.