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Understanding your income

As a dental associate, understanding your income is essential for managing your finances and ensuring transparency in your earnings; whether you are working in a private practice, under an NHS contract, or a mix of both.

Overview

Understanding your income as a dental associate, particularly being aware that gross income refers to total earnings before any deductions, is key for good financial management Gross income includes payments from private patients, NHS contracts, capitation plans, and any additional services you provide.

Before reviewing a remuneration statement, it is important for you to understand the terminology used and how income is calculated across different types of dental activity. Gross income, licence fees, deductions and net payments can vary, and the way these figures are calculated and reported is driven by the associate agreement. A clear understanding of these terms, and how they apply to each income stream, is essential for checking payments accurately and managing your finances as a self‑employed professional.

For associates and practice owners

Updated UDA value checker

Understanding the financial details of England's NHS dental contract can be challenging, even for experienced professionals. Our exclusive UDA value checking tool helps members compare their practice to local and national averages, supporting confident and informed choices.