--- title: Only a quarter of dentists deliver mostly NHS treatment description: Working patterns of dental care professionals vary by role, working hours, and the type of care provided, according to a new report from the General Dental Council image: https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/dentist-2530990_1280-2.jpg --- [![DTOC RGB Logo-1](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/DTOC%20RGB%20Logo-1.svg "DTOC RGB Logo-1")](https://dentist-times.co.uk/home) - [ABOUT](https://dentist-times.co.uk/about) - [NEWS](https://dentist-times.co.uk) - [EVENTS](https://dentist-times.co.uk/events) - [PARTNERS](https://dentist-times.co.uk/partners-dtoc) - [CONTACT](https://dentist-times.co.uk/contact) [employment](https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/tag/employment),[General Dental Council](https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/tag/general-dental-council) # Only a quarter of dentists deliver mostly NHS treatment ![dentist-2530990_1280-2](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/dentist-2530990_1280-2.jpg?width=1280&height=850&name=dentist-2530990_1280-2.jpg) Working patterns of dental care professionals vary by role, working hours, and the type of care provided, according to a new report from the General Dental Council (GDC). The [data](https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gdc-uk.org%2Fdocs%2Fdefault-source%2Freports-and-publications%2Fworking-patterns-data%2Fdcp-working-patterns-data---august-2025.xlsx%3Fsfvrsn%3D3ec436c4_1&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK), collected since the DCP *Working Patterns Survey* launched in June 2024, shows that 56,032 DCPs are currently working, or looking for work, in the dental sector across the UK. And it shows that only a quarter of dentists delivery mostly NHS treatment. ### **What the data tells us** Most DCPs were in clinical roles, with 87% doing some clinical work. Nearly half (48%) said they worked in fully-clinical roles, while 17% were in predominantly-clinical roles (at least 75% of time). Working hours vary across the profession showed that 94% of DCPs work less than 40 hours a week; nearly half (49%) work between 30-40 hours; while 45% work 30 hours or less. Around 28% work between 20-30 hours per week. The workforce delivers both NHS and private care.  Over a third (36%) deliver a mix of NHS and private dental care; more than a quarter (26%) spend at least 75% of their time delivering NHS care; and 36% spend at least 75% of their time delivering private care. Dental nurses make up the largest group, accounting for more than three-quarters (77%) of responding DCPs, followed by dental hygienists (10%). Most work in general dental practice.  Nearly two-thirds (65%) of DCPs work in general dental practice, while around 12% work in specialist dental practice and 6% work in community settings. ### **Differences across DCP roles** The data reveals interesting variations between different DCP titles: - Employment status differs significantly. While nearly four fifths (79%) are employed, 65% of dental therapists and 68% of dental hygienists are self employed or work as locum/agency workers - Clinical dental technicians have a different employment pattern, with more than two fifths (41%) being business owners or part owners, nearly a third (31%) self-employed, and more than a quarter (26%) employed ### **Working patterns vary by role** More than four fifths (82%) of dental hygienists work in fully-clinical roles, with nearly two thirds (63%) working less than 30 hours per week. Nearly half (46%) of dental nurses work in fully-clinical roles, with half (50%) working between 30-40 hours per week. And more than half (55%) of dental technicians work in fully non-clinical roles, primarily in laboratory settings (67%). Clinical dental technicians have a mixed profile, with nearly two-thirds (63%) working in a mix of clinical and non-clinical roles. ### **Types of care** More than three fifths (61%) of clinical dental technicians provide fully-private care; while only 20% of dental therapists provide fully or predominantly NHS care. 43% of orthodontic therapists provide a mix of NHS and private care, with 34% providing predominantly NHS care; and 38% of dental nurses provide a mix of NHS and private care. ### **Workplace locations differ by role** 64% of orthodontic therapists work in specialist dental practices. Four fifths (80%) of dental hygienists work in general dental practice, and 67% of dental technicians work in laboratories. Many dental hygienists and therapists also work in multiple locations: - 39% of dental hygienists regularly work in two locations, as do 38% of dental therapists - In contrast, 81% of dental nurses commonly work in just one location Theresa Thorp, executive director of regulation at the GDC, said: “This is our second year collecting the working patterns data, and with a 70% response rate, we’re building a robust picture of how dental professionals work across the UK – from the diversity of employment patterns across different roles, to the balance of clinical and non-clinical work, and the mix of NHS and private care delivery. “By continuing to build this picture, we are providing the sector with the transparent data it needs to make informed decisions about workforce planning, ultimately supporting better patient care. “We’re grateful to the dental professionals who participated and the organisations that encouraged their members to take part.” calendar icon Oct 28, 2025 10:23:10 AM ![ADG commends NHS dental workforce resilience in latest GDC data](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Neil%20Carmichael.jpg?width=600&name=Neil%20Carmichael.jpg) ## [ADG commends NHS dental workforce resilience in latest GDC data](https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/adg-commends-nhs-dental-workforce-resilience-in-latest-gdc-data) ![Research reveals what dental professionals value most](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/103001949_Anni_Seaborne_1%20(1).png?width=600&name=103001949_Anni_Seaborne_1%20(1).png) ## [Research reveals what dental professionals value most](https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/research-reveals-what-dental-professionals-value-most) ![‘A culture of silence’ is masking sexual misconduct in dentistry](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/philm1310-secret-2725302_1280.jpg?width=600&name=philm1310-secret-2725302_1280.jpg) ## [‘A culture of silence’ is masking sexual misconduct in dentistry](https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/a-culture-of-silence-is-masking-sexual-misconduct-in-dentistry) A former General Dental Council (GDC) clinical fellow is calling for a radical shift in how the... ![People with special needs waiting two years for dental treatment](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/dentist-8076740_1280.jpg?width=600&name=dentist-8076740_1280.jpg) ## [People with special needs waiting two years for dental treatment](https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/people-with-special-needs-waiting-two-years-for-dental-treatment) People with special needs are having to wait more than two years for access to a region's NHS... ![DTOC RGB Logo-2](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/DTOC%20RGB%20Logo-2.svg)![DTOC Rev Logo](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/DTOC%20Rev%20Logo.svg) The Dentist Times Owners Club is an exclusive, free-to-join community, designed specifically for dental practice owners.    **              Organised by**** Nexus Media Group** ![nmg-logo](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/nmg-logo.png?width=174&height=83&name=nmg-logo.png) Registered office: 3rd floor, 10 Rose & Crown Yard, King Street, London SW1Y 6RE ***[https://nexusmediagroup.co.uk/](https://nexusmediagroup.co.uk/)*** Registered in England & Wales No.7430935 VAT Registration Number: 629 547 604        --- © 2025 Dentist Times Owners Club ↑ ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Joanne Makosinski", "url" : "https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/author/joanne-makosinski" }, "dateModified" : "2025-10-28T10:30:10.250Z", "datePublished" : "2025-10-28T10:23:10.000Z", "headline" : "Only a quarter of dentists deliver mostly NHS treatment", "image" : [ "https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/dentist-2530990_1280-2.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/new-working-patterns-data-published-for-dental-care-professionals", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/NMG_Black_logo.svg" }, "name" : "Nexus Media Group" } } ```