#2026/554NHS Primary Dental Services and Dental Charges Amendment Regulations 2026
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This regulation updates how NHS dental treatment in England is classified and administered. It creates new “complex care pathway” categories and makes clear that these pathways sit outside the normal banded course of treatment rules, including Band 2 treatment. The changes affect NHS dental contractors, NHS England systems, and patients receiving more complex dental care. Providers will need to apply the new pathway definitions, use updated treatment categories, and submit information electronically through approved NHS England systems where required.
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Key Changes
- Introduces new complex care pathway categories for NHS dental treatment.
- Excludes complex care pathways from normal banded course of treatment rules, including Band 2 treatment.
- Adds and updates definitions for dental conditions, risk factors, injuries, and electronic submission through NHS England-approved systems.
Obligations
What this law requires
From 23 June 2026, NHS primary dental services contractors in England must treat complex care pathways as excluded from the normal “banded course of treatment” rules, including Band 2 courses of treatment.
NHS dental providers must classify relevant treatment as complex care pathway 1, complex care pathway 2, or complex care pathway 3 where the treatment consists of the required dental services specified for that pathway in Table C of Schedule 2.
NHS dental providers must not classify treatment provided as part of a complex care pathway as a Band 2 course of treatment.
NHS dental providers must treat a course of treatment as ending where treatment provided as part of a complex care pathway is terminated following a suspension.
Where required, NHS dental contractors must submit treatment information electronically through systems approved by NHS England.