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Legislative and policy framework

  • Last modified date:
    4 August 2008

This page explains the overall legislative and policy framework governing the work done by primary care trusts locally to commission dental and dental health services.

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Policy background to the dental reforms introduced on 1 April 2006

The following documents set out the main policy background to the dental reforms introduced on 1 April 2006:

  • 12 October 2005: Primary care dental services: implementation of local commissioning Advice on the key steps needed by PCTs to support the successful implementation of the new local commissioning arrangements for primary dental care services.
  • 21 February 2005: NHS dentistry reform programme: update Letter referring to statement by John Reid, Secretary of State for Health, to Parliament on 10 January 2005, which reaffirmed Ministers’ commitment to reforming NHS dentistry.
  • 19 July 2004: NHS dentistry: delivering change – report by the Chief Dental Officer (England) Letter and report outlining next steps to introduce a modernised, high-quality primary dental service provided through contracts between primary care trusts and local dental practices.

The legislative framework governing the dental reforms encompasses a range of primary legislation, regulations, directions and orders in the following main areas:

  • the new system of dental charges
  • the new local contracts for dentists providing primary dental services
  • provisions governing the transition from the former General Dental Services and Personal Dental Services schemes
  • the payments to which dentists are entitled under the new arrangements
  • performers lists and vocational training
  • dental services provided directly by PCTs
  • dental public health.

Dental charges

The dental charges regulations 2006/07 were the subject of a twelve week public consultation; the consultation document included the report of the working group chaired by Harry Cayton (National Director for Patients and the Public) and the group’s recommendations for reforming the system of dental charges.  Please note new regulations came into effect on 1 April 2007, which very slightly increased charges for patients. These are listed below and are the only charges that patients should pay for courses of treatment tha commenced on 1 April 2007 or later.

NHS dental contracts

The links below provide access to:

  • Standard general dental services (GDS) contract:
    - a copy of the standard general dental services contract
    - a factsheet on the standard GDS contract
    - the GDS variation notice (13 March 2006)
    - a link to The National Health Service (General Dental Services Contracts) Regulations 2005.
  • Standard clauses for a personal dental services (PDS) agreement:
    - a copy of the standard personal dental services agreement (other than for PDS services provided by a PCT)
    - the PDS variation notice (13 March 2006)
    - a link to The National Health Service (Personal Dental Services Agreements) Regulations 2005.

Transitional provisions

The GDS and PDS Transitional Provisions Order 2005 governs the arrangements for final payments for work carried out under the former GDS system and in former PDS pilots, together with related transitional issues.

Statements of Financial Entitlements

The GDS and PDS Statements of Financial Entitlements (SFE) set out the payments to which dentists are entitled and (in the case of GDS dentists) the corresponding weighted activity (or ‘units of dental activity’) that they are required to undertake in return for these payments..

Amended GDS and PDS Statements of Financial Entitlements came into force on 1 April 2008 which give effect to the financial increases for 2008-09.

The following documents contain related information about the calculation of contract values and ‘units of dental activity’ for GDS dentists..

Performers lists and vocational training

The NHS (Performers List) Amendment Regulations 2006 established the new system of dental Performers Lists and more flexible arrangements for vocational training.

Primary care trust dental services

The PCT Dental Services Directions 2006, which came into force on 1 April 2006, provide a common and consistent framework for future provision for salaried primary dental care services.

Dental public health regulations

These regulations set out the responsibilities of PCTs in relation to dental public health. The regulations support the objective of strengthening the public health function in England by giving PCTs more explicit responsibilities for educating and supporting the public about ways in which they may improve their oral health

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NHS dental services

Reforms introduced in April 2006 are designed to help provide better access to dental services and simplify the system of patient charges.

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