Jeremy Miles MS, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
I have today laid the regulations for the new general dental services contract arrangements (external link), which will mean fairer access to NHS dentistry for people in Wales.
The new contract will be introduced from 1 April and put people’s oral health needs and prevention at the heart of the new system.
This is the first major reform of the dental contract in 20 years. It replaces the units of dental activity model, which incentivises the recall of healthy patients every six months, to a model which better supports the prevention of oral disease and treatment for those who need it most.
General dental services play a critical role in supporting population oral health and ensuring access to preventative and treatment services. Reform of the 2006 dental contract will help strengthen NHS dentistry, improve access for the public, and better align services with population need, prevention, and quality of care.
The new contract is the result of extensive negotiations and development work between the government, representatives of the dental profession, and the NHS. We have consulted on the contract, listened carefully to the feedback received and made a series of important changes as a result, including strengthening access and continuity of care.
The new arrangements will mean people who need active treatment or support to maintain their oral health will be seen more regularly. Under the new system:
- Practices will receive payments to continue seeing existing patients for recall appointments, giving dentists the freedom to monitor oral health based on individual risk and need.
- The new contract arrangements will see increased NHS payments to dentists, with general fee rates rising to £150 per hour.
- People who pay for NHS treatment will have their costs capped at a maximum of £384, regardless of how much care they need.
About half the Welsh population is exempt from paying NHS dental charges, including children under 18, pregnant women, hospital dental patients, and people receiving certain benefits. The low-income scheme will continue to provide help with dental costs.
The reforms also include increased funding for dentists to take part in accelerated cluster development, which are designed to incentivise strengthened local NHS provision and more preventative care.
The new contract is a significant milestone for NHS dentistry in Wales, representing fairer, more responsive services for the public and the profession.