Concerns Raised as Major Welsh NHS Dental Changes Come Into Force

Significant changes to NHS dental care in Wales have come into effect from April 1 — but dentists warn the overhaul could make access to NHS treatment even harder.

The British Dental Association (BDA) says the reforms, described by the Welsh Government as the biggest shake‑up in 20 years, risk pushing more practices into private work and worsening the existing access crisis.

What’s changing?

The new system alters how often patients are seen and how they are charged.

1. Check‑ups less frequent

Healthy patients will no longer be encouraged to attend every six months. Instead, routine NHS check‑ups will now take place every 18 to 24 months, freeing up dentist time for patients with higher clinical needs.

2. New charging structure

The old Band 1, 2 and 3 system has been scrapped. Treatments will now fall under care packages, with clinical care and lab fees charged separately.

The BDA says this could mean higher costs for some patients, highlighting:

- A simple check‑up rising 22% to £24.50  

- A periodontal package increasing from £60 to £93.50

While the union acknowledged that Welsh patients may still pay less than those in England “in some cases”, it warned the increases come at a difficult time amid the cost‑of‑living crisis.

---

Dentists warn reforms are ‘untested’

The BDA says the new system has not been properly trialled and that communication with practices has been poor. Some dentists have already handed back their NHS contracts due to uncertainty about the future.

Some health boards have reportedly seen 10% or more of their NHS contract allocations returned, putting further pressure on remaining services.

A long‑promised patient information leaflet explaining the new system has also not yet been published.

BDA: ‘The service is on the brink’

Russell Gidney, chair of the BDA’s Welsh General Dental Practice Committee, said:

“Many patients across Wales will have to get used to more costly, less frequent dental care.  

The risk now is that untested reforms will push more practices out of the NHS, taking the access crisis from bad to worse.”

He warned that whoever forms the next Welsh Government will inherit a service “on the very brink” and will need a rescue package to secure its future.

---

Welsh Government defends the changes

A spokesperson said the reforms are designed to prioritise patients based on individual risk and need, ensuring capacity for new patients while maintaining continuity for existing ones.

They insisted the changes are not experimental:

“It is not a leap into the unknown, but a consolidation of what has already been shown to work.  

We are proud to have developed the new contract arrangements in partnership with the BDA, the NHS and the people of Wales.”