From April 2026, the Welsh Government plans to introduce a new NHS dental contract.
While these changes are intended to improve access for the wider population, they may affect the care you receive — including how often you’re seen, where you’re treated, and who treats you.
Here’s what these changes could mean for you and your family:
❗ What’s Changing?
- No More Patient Registration
If your mouth is “stable”, you’ll be placed on a central NHS waiting list — with no check-ups until you come to the top of the list again.
- No Guarantee You’ll Return to Us
You could be sent to any NHS practice in your health board, not the one one you’ve attended for years.
- No Shared Records
Your notes and x-rays won’t transfer — you’ll start from scratch at every new practice. The new dentist will have no access to your history — making it harder to monitor long-term conditions like gum disease, tooth wear, or recession.
- Higher NHS Costs
Treatment fees may increase. Exams suggested to rise to £25.40, with treatment fees up to £384.
😟 Who’s Most at Risk?
* Children and nervous patients who need consistent, familiar care
* Long-term NHS patients who value regular check-ups
* Anyone who wants to stay with a trusted dental team
We’ll always do our best for our patients — but these changes make it harder for everyone.
📣 What Can You Do?
The Welsh Government is asking for public feedback which is open until 19th June.
Have your say before it’s too late.
Is this really beneficial to anyone ? It seems absolutely ridiculous that notes won’t transfer if this system is taken up .It doesn’t appear that anybody registered with NHS dentist will get the care they require . It just seems like a scam to get everyone to go private and those that can’t pay will suffer. It’s a real backward step , absolutely ludicrous .
This is a poor decision, people put trust in their dentist. I cannot see the benefit of historic records being scrapped, this will create a backlog in misunderstanding patients issues. Also many patients, particularly the elderly, might find it financially and physically impractical to attend another surgery. Very poor decision.
terrible for nhs wales border patients such as myself who has been receiving alot of nhs work on my teeth.my dentist in border Wales is 13 miles from my English border address and the nhs dentist who won’t take me on is 21 miles from my address. we had this fight with buses crossing borders and won the appeal. Will we be able to fight the nhs welsh dentistry rules for border towns
This is absolutely ridiculous. a lot of people are nervous enough about visiting a dentist , but if you see the same one all the time you build up trust . just another way to make money
‘I have been told I would be a gold patient so only pay £19 per month that,s £228 per year and may not even see them but that charge does not include major work that will be on top it is Welsh labour ripping us off again but how will it effect pensions who cant afford it I was told by my dentist if you don’t pay you don’t see a dentist disgusting
Ridiculous, how many of us pensioners nearly 80 can afford that every month, some of us can’t catch three buses to visit some dentist you don’t know. I have been with my dentist for over 35 years and he’s retiring at the end of the year. I’ve seen some of the dental work in other places it’s shocking. I suppose if you receive pensioner credit it won’t apply to you. What about single parents who work, have a mortgage and are just managing they can’t afford to pay every month. It ridiculous. Leave it as it is at least we have dentists. Shocking way to get money again