01/10/2025
📣 Important Update: Dentistry in Wales Is Changing in 2026
For healthcare professionals considering roles in dental care, here’s a summary of the upcoming reforms:
Major Reforms from April 2026
🔄The existing UDA contract model will be replaced.
🔄Patient care frequency will be determined by need, not a fixed six-monthly recall.
🔄Dental practices will retain more patients through payments for continuity of care rather than losing them to a central list.
🔄The new Dental Access Portal (DAP) will help manage patient inflow.
🔄NHS remuneration increases: general rate raised to £150/hour.
🔄Patients paying for NHS treatment will contribute 50% of their treatment package, capped at £384.
🩺 What This Means for Dental Jobs & Recruitment
💠More opportunities may arise in preventive care, risk-based recall, and integrated dental teams.
💠Practices will likely value staff who can work flexibly and adapt to care models driven by patient need.
💠New or updated contract models may shift workload, staffing patterns, and financial incentives.
💠There may be pressure in some areas (especially rural or underserved communities) as access challenges persist.
🗓 Implementation begins April 2026 — keep this in view if you’re planning roles or applying for positions in Welsh dentistry.
