However, the association has warned that after a decade of financial cuts, contract reform is needed urgently to keep the service afloat.
The pay increase is double the three per cent award the previous government had budgeted for. The BDA has said that this leap reflects the threat to the service presented in its evidence to the pay review body.
The professional body’s analysis of data on NHS dentists’ earnings and expenses indicates that since 2008/9 the typical dentist in England has seen pay cuts of over 40 per cent.
NHS dentists working in secondary care have taken industrial action. The BDA has warned that while their colleagues in primary care have not yet participated, they have voted with their feet by reducing or ending their NHS commitment.
Shawn Charlwood, chair of the BDA’s general dental practice committee, said, “It’s welcome progress, but one above-inflation increase will not correct a decade of savage pay cuts with no equal.”
The BDA will be holding a referendum with its hospital members on the deal secured for juniors, which provides an uplift of over 20 per cent over two years.
The professional body said it has been encouraged by early talks with the government on the reform of the contract. It has said that maintaining momentum is key to keeping dentists on board and that the government will need to demonstrate both urgency and ambition.
An agreement is yet to be reached on how dentists’ rising expenses will be reflected in a final deal. The association have said this is likely to eat into the above-inflation award.
Shawn concluded, “High-street dentists have not taken industrial action. They are simply walking away.
“We won’t halt this exodus without real contract reform and fair, sustained funding.”