UK Dentistry Info - PCTs, UDAs... explained.

Zest Medical have helped hundreds of dentists over the years embark on new careers in the UK and you will benefit from our specialised knowledge and expertise that can only come from an experienced and professional dental recruitment consultancy. 

Dentists practicing dentistry in the UK usually either work in a National Health Service (NHS) dental practice, where treatment is subsidised or free for patients, a private dental practice, where patients pay the full cost of treatment, or a mixed dental practice (NHS and Private).

Dentists in the UK predominantly provide a mixture of both NHS and private dental treatment as NHS patients also have access to additional private treatments.

Dentists providing private treatment are usually paid 50% of their gross earnings based on the treatment they have provided.  This is also referred to as ‘fee per item’.

There is no longer a uniformed NHS dental system across the UK, as England and Wales have differing systems to Scotland.  In Scotland you will look after a specific list of patients and from this you will be paid a monthly sum dependent on patient numbers and a percentage of the treatment you provide, normally 50% of the gross earnings.  Remuneration for any private treatments provided are normally also paid at 50% of the gross.

In England and Wales dentists providing NHS dental treatment are now paid per UDA.  This will usually result in an equal monthly salary being paid to the dentist.  Dentists will also be paid an additional 50% of the gross earnings for any private treatment provided.  An explanation of the UDA system is detailed below.

nGDS (new General Dental Services) Contract as of 1st April 2006

The nGDS contract commenced from 1st April 2006.  All NHS dental treatment in England and Wales  is assessed using the Units of Dental Activity (UDAs).  Each contract will quote a certain amount of units that are required to be achieved by the dentist in that year.  This will usually be based on the previous records of the practice or predictions if a new post. 

Units of Dental Activity are detailed below:

Band 1 (non urgent) - 1 UDA

Band 1 (urgent) - 1.2 UDA

Band 2 - 3 UDA

Band 3 - 12 UDA

Issue of Prescription - 0.75 UDA

Repair of Dental Appliance (denture) - 1 UDA

Repair of Dental Appliance (crown) - 1.2 UDA

Removal of Sutures - 1

Arrest of Bleeding - 1.2

Check ups can only be counted once a year per patient.

The new patient charges will be banded as follows:

Band 2 Covers simple treatment, for example fillings and extractions

Band 3 Covers complex treatment, such as bridgework, crowns or dentures.

An example of the contract in action is detailed below (please note this is only an example and does not dictate your potential specific contract)

To practice dentistry in the United Kingdom you must be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC).  It is illegal to provide dental treatment to any individual in the UK without first being registered with the GDC.  Generally all dentists that have qualified in an EEA country will be granted permission following registration.  However there are some restrictions on certain EEA countries.  For further information specific to your country of qualification please visit www.gdc-uk.org.  For dentists that have qualified outside of the EEA please visit the GDC website for further advice on the options open to you.

Once you have secured a position within a practice providing National Health Service treatment you will then need to register with the Local Health Board (LHB) or Primary Care Trust (PCT).  The PCT/LHB are smaller regional divisions of the NHS and they are ultimately responsible for the dentists that they allow to treat patients in their specific geographical area.  As a consequence of this the PCT need to ensure that new dentists whether qualified in the UK or not can provide original documentation concerning qualifications and GDC registration, have a checkable work history, can provide references and have their records checked for documented criminal activity (CRB check).  This process usually takes approximately six weeks and will be initiated by the PCT/LHB and your new employer.  In addition the PCT will typically require you to produce certifiable evidence of Hepatitis B inoculations or a blood test proving the presence of Hepatitis B anti bodies.  There are certain documents that you will need to have for the PCT/LHB registration, please contact Zest Medical Dental Recruitment for further advice on which documents are required.

In order to treat NHS dental patients in England and Wales dentists whose first language is not English must hold a valid certificate in English.  Below is a table of the most popular certificates approved by the UK Department of Health (DoH) and required scores.  Click on the Awarding Body for direct links to their websites.  Here you will find course dates and fees.  Alternatively contact Zest Medical directly for advice and one of our professional dental recruiters will be happy to help you.

*Please note for IELTS, candidates must score 6 or more in each section of the test.

At Zest Medical we are proven dental recruiters with vast knowledge and experience in assisting dentists from around the world start a new life and a new career in the United Kingdom and Ireland.