Dentists warn rising costs threaten future of NHS care in Wales

Mark Mansfield

Dental representatives have warned that NHS practices in Wales cannot remain financially sustainable if rising costs and additional responsibilities are not matched by increased funding.

Ahead of negotiations with the Welsh Government over the 2026–27 dental contract funding increase, the Welsh General Dental Practice Committee is calling for pay awards to be fully funded alongside support for growing practice expenses.

Dan Cook and Katie Davis, the committee’s vice-chairs, said employment costs, regulatory requirements, inflation and workforce shortages were putting practices under pressure.

They warned that headline funding increases did not necessarily translate into better pay because additional money could be absorbed by the costs of running a practice.

“We are calling for a clear approach that recognises both workforce pay and the realities of running a dental practice,” they said.

“This would allow practices to remain financially viable while rewarding the people who deliver NHS care.”

The negotiations concern the annual increase in funding under the General Dental Services contract, which governs the provision of NHS dental care.

The committee wants any pay award recommended by the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration to reach the workforce, with separate recognition of rising overheads.

It is also seeking support for increases in National Insurance contributions, National Living Wage rates and other statutory employment costs.

The vice-chairs said practices should not be expected to meet those additional costs from their existing contract funding.

“NHS dentistry cannot remain sustainable if practices are expected to do more while receiving less in real terms,” they said.

They also warned against introducing further duties without providing the resources to carry them out.

Following changes introduced through the new Welsh dental contract, the committee said any additional treatment requirements or administrative work must be backed by investment.

“If government expects practices to deliver more, it must provide the means to do so,” the vice-chairs said.

Inflation

Another priority is changing how practice expenses are measured when funding increases are calculated.

The committee argues that the inflation measures currently used do not adequately reflect increases in the costs of materials, equipment, staffing, regulatory compliance and energy.

It is seeking a more accurate assessment of those expenses to inform future funding decisions.

Mr Cook and Ms Davis also called for longer-term discussions about dental earnings, saying years of below-inflation settlements had reduced the value of NHS remuneration.

They warned that recruitment and retention problems were likely to continue without action to address that decline.

“Our message to Welsh Government is straightforward: investment in NHS dentistry must reflect the realities of providing care,” they said.

The Welsh Government said: “We will start the annual negotiation process with the Welsh General Dental Practice Committee and NHS representatives soon, to facilitate our annual investment in NHS dental services to support patients and the dental profession.”

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.