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There's a lot involved in delivering the business of dentistry, whether you're in NHS, mixed or private practice. In this section you will find the expert advice and support you need to make your business a success.

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Exclusively for BDA members

Post-Budget support for practice owners

How will the Budget impact your business? We have the support you need to understand and navigate the changes, including an upcoming webinar on financial planning with Chase de Vere and our brand new national insurance and employment allowance calculator.
Find out more
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For associates and practice owners

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.
Find out more and download
UDA tracker tool preview

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Advice

NHS contracts and tendering

NHS contract monitoring and clawback in England and Wales

If you hold an NHS contract, your Primary Care Organisation (PCO) will be monitoring your performance, and act on any concerns. Underperformance can lead to financial recovery – also known as clawback.

Advice

Business finances

Tax

A basic overview of your various possible tax obligations in the dental practice.

Advice

Business management

Leases and licences

This advice should help you negotiate a fair working arrangement by leasing or licensing a commercial property for a dental practice.

Advice

Business management

Planning permission

If you are building new dental practice premises, or altering or extending existing premise, you are likely to need planning permission.

Advice

Business management

New practice start up

This introductory guide provides some ideas to help you establish an entirely new practice and is structured according to the stages that you will go through.

Advice

Data and privacy

GDPR

This advice summarises the changes and additional requirements introduced by the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 (GDPR).

Advice

Data and privacy

Protecting personal information

Advice on the personal data protection requirements in the dental practice, and how to comply with The General Data Protection Regulation 2018 (GDPR).

Advice

Health, safety and risk assessment

Health and safety

This advice provides a summary of the general and specific health and safety requirements that apply to the dental environment.

Advice

Associateships

Locums for associates

Advice on NHS regulations how you engage a locum to help you meet your contractual obligations to provide dental care to your patients. The arrangements in England and Wales vary from those in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Advice

Associateships

Associates leaving a practice

This advice describes your obligations when you leave a dental practice where you are an associate and possible implications imposed by your agreement with the practice owner.

Advice

Associateships

A quick guide to working as an associate

A summary of how associates can be engaged for their skills and services

Advice

Associate contracts

Understanding associate contracts in general dental practice

This advice should help you to develop a suitable associate agreement that clearly states the responsibilities of the owner and the associate (and avoid some of the pitfalls).

Related events

Business Essentials1x1
Event

Business essentials (Two-day workshop) - Jan and Mar 2025

Delivered over two days, this interactive workshop explores commercial techniques that can be applied to a dental business in order to drive profitability and improve financial results.

More business management events
For extra and expert members

Contact our NHS and business team

We provide advice on all matters relating to setting up and running an NHS, private, or mixed practice, including NHS contract terms and variations, clawback, and breach/remedial notices. If you're an Extra or Expert member, you have access to unlimited one-to-one advice from us via phone or email, in addition to the online guidance.
Contact us
Victoria Michell, Head of the NHS and Business team, smiling confidently towards the camera