The scene
After three years at dental school, a newly qualified dental therapist was excited to get their first job offer at a local NHS practice. However, they became concerned when they saw the UDA targets in their contract which seemed very high for their level of experience. The therapist didn’t want to walk away but they were worried about committing to a workload that was unachievable.
DDU advice
Practices are generally welcoming, supportive and fair to newly qualified members of the team. However, it’s essential to be happy with the wording of your contract before signing because this is a legally binding document.
A well-drafted agreement should protect you and the practice by clearly setting out the obligations of all parties. It should give you both certainty and peace of mind and minimise the risk of misunderstandings in areas which are a common cause of contention, such as leave, grounds for termination, restrictive covenants (which limit where you can work after leaving) and of course, UDA targets.
If you think you’ll struggle initially to meet the UDA targets, you should be upfront about this with the practice and try to agree a compromise, such as a gradual increase over the next year. This approach would be much better than pretending that you can keep up and putting yourself under pressure - or worse - compromising patient care. Ultimately, you may decide that it’s not the right place to start your dental career but rest assured there will be more opportunities which are a better fit.
If you resolve the UDA issue it still makes sense to get your contract reviewed by an independent expert, especially if you’re newly qualified. Unfortunately, there can be a lot of variation in dental contracts and ad hoc changes can cause difficulties down the line.
The DDU’s contract review service is a great starting point as it’s included in your membership as a self-employed therapist (it’s also open to hygienists, associate dentists and practice principals). Our dento-legal advisors will check your contract against best practice guidelines, talk you through the small print and advise you if something doesn’t look right.
What happened next
After speaking to a few colleagues from dental school who had already started work, the therapist confirmed that the UDA targets in their contract were above average. They went back to the practice to explain that they were keen to take the post but emphasised they were new to practice and asked if they could agree a lower target while they acclimatised to the pace of the practice.
The practice principal was happy that the therapist had raised the issue rather than walking away and they agreed a compromise. The practice also arranged for the therapist to have additional support from an experienced clinician for their first few weeks.
This page was correct at publication on 11/03/2025. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.
by Leo Briggs BDS, MSc Deputy head of the DDU
Leo Briggs qualified from University College Hospital, London, in 1989. He has worked extensively in the Community Dental Service including a brief period overseas. He has also worked in General Dental Practice.
Leo gained a masters degree in Periodontology from the Eastman in 1995 and is on the GDC specialist register for Periodontics. Since 1995 he has provided specialist periodontal treatment in both the Salaried Dental Services and Private Practice. He started working for the DDU in 2005. Between 2007 and 2009 he worked part time at the DDU and part time as a Clinical Tutor at the School for Professionals Complementary to Dentistry in Portsmouth. In 2009 Leo went full time with the DDU. In January 2016 he became deputy head of the DDU. He continues to work clinically as a specialist periodontist in a General Practice on Saturdays.