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The National Health Service (General Dental Services Contracts and Patient Charges) (Wales) Regulations 2026

W.S.I. 2026/37 · Made 9 February 2026 · Extends to England and Wales

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 1 April 2026.

NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE, WALES

Made 9 February 2026

Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1(2)

The Welsh Ministers make these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 2, 56(5) and (6), 57, 58, 59, 60(2), 61, 62, 63(1), 66(1) and (4), 125(1), 126(5) and 203(9) and (10) of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006f1.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

2006 c. 42.

Contents

  1. Part 1: GENERAL
  2. 1Title, coming into force and application
  3. 2Interpretation
  4. Part 2: CONTRACTORS
  5. 3Conditions: introductory
  6. 4Prescribed conditions
  7. 5Additional prescribed conditions relating to contracts with dental corporations
  8. 6Reasons
  9. 7Appeal
  10. Part 3: PRE-CONTRACT DISPUTE RESOLUTION
  11. 8Pre-contract disputes
  12. Part 4: HEALTH SERVICE BODY STATUS
  13. 9Health service body status
  14. Part 5: CONTRACTS: REQUIRED TERMS
  15. 10Parties to the contract
  16. 11NHS contracts
  17. 12Contracts with individuals practising in partnership
  18. 13Duration
  19. 14Mandatory services
  20. 15Advanced mandatory services
  21. 16Services: general
  22. 17Proportion of mandatory services
  23. 18Period over which the proportion of mandatory services must be delivered
  24. 19Underprovision of proportions of mandatory services
  25. 20Mid-year delivery report
  26. 21Mid-year delivery report requirements
  27. 22Mid-year financial adjustments
  28. 23Appeals against mid-year financial adjustments
  29. 24Annual delivery reports
  30. 25Provision below 95%
  31. 26Appeal against application of regulation 25
  32. 27Provision over 100%
  33. 28Provision over 105%
  34. 29Appeal against application of regulation 27
  35. 30Finance
  36. 31Payments, charges and financial interests of the contractor
  37. 32Arrangements on termination of a contract
  38. 33Other contractual terms
  39. Part 6: TRANSITIONAL PROVISION
  40. 34Interpretation of Part 6
  41. 35Continuity of existing contracts
  42. 36Mandatory services proportions
  43. 37Mid-year and annual delivery reports
  44. 38Health service body status
  45. 39Disqualification provisions
  46. 40Disputes and appeals
  47. 41Charges
  48. 42Revocation
  49. 43Amendments
  50. Signature
  51. Schedule 1: MANDATORY SERVICES
  52. Part 1: Urgent Access For New Patients
  53. 1Paragraph 1
  54. 2Paragraph 2
  55. 3Urgent Access Appointments Programme
  56. 4Urgent care appointments for new patients
  57. 5Payments
  58. 6Payments
  59. Part 2: New Patient Assessments Arising From The Dental Access Portal
  60. 7New patient assessments
  61. 8New patient assessments
  62. 9Provision of new patient assessments
  63. 10Minimum requirements for new patient assessments
  64. 11Payments
  65. Part 3: Care packages
  66. 12Paragraph 12
  67. 13Care package content
  68. 14Content of care package
  69. 15Treatment plans
  70. 16Missed appointments
  71. 17De-listing notification – care packages
  72. 18De-listing
  73. 19Payments
  74. 20Payments after de-listing
  75. Part 4: Prevention services
  76. 21Requirement to provide prevention services
  77. 22Requirement to provide prevention services
  78. 23Scope of prevention services
  79. 24Timing of prevention services
  80. 25Content of prevention services
  81. 26Delivery of prevention services
  82. 27Team-based delivery
  83. 28Other dental care professional’s supervision
  84. 29Evidence-based practice
  85. 30Risk-based prevention
  86. 31High risk patients
  87. 32Moderate risk patients
  88. 33Low risk patients
  89. 34Specific preventative interventions
  90. 35Documentation requirements
  91. 36Patient information materials
  92. 37Monitoring and audit
  93. 38Breach of prevention requirements
  94. 39Payments
  95. 40Capitation payment for prevention appointments that occur within 18 months of a previous appointment
  96. 41Capitation payments for recalls when it is 18 months since the previous appointment
  97. 42Preventative intervention during a care package
  98. 43Continuing professional development
  99. 44De-listing notification – prevention services
  100. 45De-listing after 36 months
  101. Part 5: National priorities
  102. 46Paragraph 46
  103. 47Paragraph 47
  104. Schedule 2CARE PACKAGES
  105. 1Paragraph 1
  106. 2Paragraph 2
  107. 3Paragraph 3
  108. Schedule 3: OTHER CONTRACTUAL TERMS
  109. Part 1: PATIENTS
  110. 1Persons to whom mandatory services are to be provided
  111. 2Patient preference of dental practitioner
  112. 3Violent patients
  113. 4Patients who refuse to pay NHS charges before the start of, or during, treatment
  114. 5Irrevocable breakdown in relationship between contractor and patient
  115. Part 2: PROVISION OF SERVICES
  116. 6Course of treatment
  117. 7Treatment plans
  118. 8Completion of courses of treatment
  119. 9Referral to another contractor, a hospital or other relevant service provider for advanced mandatory, domiciliary or sedation services
  120. 10Mixing of services provided under the contract with private dental services
  121. 11Repair or replacement of restorations
  122. 12Premises, facilities and equipment
  123. 13Telephone services
  124. 14National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance
  125. 15Infection control
  126. 16Treatment under general anaesthesia: prohibition
  127. 17Welsh Language
  128. Part 3: SUPPLY OF DRUGS AND PRESCRIBING
  129. 18General
  130. 19Supply of drugs
  131. 20Issue of prescription forms
  132. 21Excessive prescribing
  133. Part 4: PERSONS WHO PERFORM SERVICES
  134. 22Dental practitioners
  135. 23Dental care professionals
  136. 24Performers: further requirements
  137. 25Conditions for employment and engagement: dental practitioners performing dental services
  138. 26Conditions for employment and engagement: persons performing dental services other than dental practitioners
  139. 27Conditions for employment and engagement: all persons performing dental services
  140. 28Conditions for employment and engagement: persons assisting in the provision of services under the contract
  141. 29Training
  142. 30Level of skill
  143. 31Appraisal and assessment
  144. 32Sub-contracting of clinical services
  145. Part 5: RECORDS, INFORMATION, NOTIFICATIONS AND RIGHTS OF ENTRY
  146. 33Patient records
  147. 34Confidentiality of personal data
  148. 35Information to patients
  149. 36Provision of and access to information: Local Health Board
  150. 37Inquiries about prescriptions and referrals
  151. 38Notification of a course of treatment etc.
  152. 39Annual report and review
  153. 40Notifications to the Local Health Board
  154. 41Notice provisions specific to a contract with a dental corporation
  155. 42Notice provisions specific to a contract with two or more individuals practising in partnership
  156. 43Notifications to patients following a variation of the contract
  157. 44Entry and inspection by the Local Health Board
  158. 45Entry and inspection by the Welsh Ministers
  159. Part 6: CONCERNS
  160. 46Concerns
  161. 47Notification of concerns
  162. 48Period for notifying concerns
  163. 49Further requirements for concerns procedures
  164. 50Co-operation with investigations
  165. 51Withdrawal of concerns
  166. Part 7: DISPUTE RESOLUTION
  167. 52Local resolution of contract disputes
  168. 53Dispute resolution: non-NHS contracts
  169. 54NHS dispute resolution procedure
  170. 55Determination of dispute
  171. 56Interpretation of Part 7
  172. Part 8: VARIATION AND TERMINATION OF CONTRACTS
  173. 57Variation of a contract: general
  174. 58Variation provisions specific to a contract with an individual dental practitioner
  175. 59Variation provisions specific to a contract with two or more individuals practising in partnership
  176. 60Termination by agreement
  177. 61Termination on the death of an individual dental practitioner
  178. 62Termination by the contractor
  179. 63Late payment notices
  180. 64Termination by the Local Health Board: general
  181. 65Termination by the Local Health Board: no longer eligible to enter into and breach of conditions of the contract
  182. 66Termination by the Local Health Board for the provision of untrue etc. information
  183. 67Termination by the Local Health Board on grounds of suitability etc.
  184. 68Termination by the Local Health Board: patient safety and material financial loss
  185. 69Termination by the Local Health Board: remedial notices and breach of contract notices
  186. 70Termination by the Local Health Board: additional provisions specific to contracts with two or more individuals practising in partnership and dental corporations
  187. 71Contract sanctions
  188. 72Contract sanctions and the NHS dispute resolution procedure
  189. 73Termination and the NHS dispute resolution procedure
  190. Part 9: MISCELLANEOUS
  191. 74Evidence of exemption under the 2006 Act
  192. 75Clinical governance arrangements
  193. 76Quality assurance system
  194. 77Insurance: negligent performance
  195. 78Public liability insurance
  196. 79Gifts
  197. 80Compliance with legislation and guidance
  198. 81Third party rights
  199. 82Signing of documents
  200. 83Duty of co-operation: cluster working
  201. Schedule 4PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET
  202. Schedule 5: CHARGES
  203. 1Charges for the provision of dental services
  204. 2Exemptions
  205. 3Exemptions
  206. 4Charges
  207. 5Referral
  208. 6Making and recovery of charges
  209. 7Repayment of charges
  210. 8Accounting for charges in relation to payments
  211. 9Central collection and electronic processes
  212. Schedule 6: AMENDMENTS
  213. 1The National Health Service (Dental Charges) (Wales) Regulations 2006
  214. 2The National Health Service (Personal Dental Services Agreements) (Wales) 2006
  215. Explanatory note