Hospital Dental Trainees in UK Secure Significant Pay Increase

Government Announces 22% Pay Uplift Over Two Years

UK: Hospital dental trainees in England are set to receive a substantial pay increase. The government has announced an average pay uplift of 22.3% over two years, scheduled to take effect from November 2024. This decision marks the culmination of a two-year industrial action campaign across both dentistry and medicine.

Overwhelming Support from Trainees

The final pay offer, which was presented following extensive negotiations, has garnered strong support from the dental trainee community. A referendum revealed that an overwhelming 87% of hospital dental trainees were in favor of accepting the offer. This widespread approval has brought the current industrial action to a formal close, signaling a new chapter in the relationship between dental professionals and the government.

Government’s Perspective on the Agreement

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has hailed this agreement as a “crucial step forward” in addressing the concerns of junior doctors and dentists. Acknowledging the challenging economic circumstances, Streeting expressed optimism about the negotiations:

“I am encouraged by our early meetings that there is a deal to be done,” he stated, emphasizing the government’s commitment to resolving the ongoing disputes.

Addressing Long-standing Pay Erosion

The British Dental Association (BDA) has welcomed this pay uplift as an initial step towards combating extensive pay erosion in the sector. According to the BDA’s estimates, dentists have experienced a staggering real-term pay cut of over 40% since 2008/9.

The association commented on the significance of this achievement:

“Our members should be proud that they played their part in giving a clear and unequivocal commitment to the wider pay campaign over a 22 month period, including standing on picket lines with their medical colleagues.”

Breakdown of the Pay Increase

The announced increase will incorporate the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body pay uplift, which will be backdated to 1 April 2024. This follows a previous announcement in July that dentists and doctors would receive a 6% pay increase. The pay rise will benefit various dental professionals, including:

• Salaried dentists in community dental services and public dental services
• NHS dental contract holders
• Consultants
• Dentists in training

Future Implications and Ongoing Campaigns

While this agreement represents a significant victory for dental trainees, the BDA has indicated that this is just the beginning of their efforts to address long-standing pay issues. The association stated:

“It marks the start of further pay campaigning to address 15 years of pay erosion.”

As the dental healthcare sector moves forward from this agreement, all eyes will be on how this pay uplift impacts recruitment, retention, and overall job satisfaction among hospital dental trainees in England.