The Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI) aims to support NHS dental provision in designated geographic areas where access to General Dental Services is low and there is evidence of unmet patient demand and/or high oral health needs.
New SDAI areas can only be designated following the submission of documentary evidence by NHS Boards, supporting its view that a location has poor dental access. Eligibility is then reviewed annually by Scottish Government.
Areas Included in the SDAI
- NHS Ayrshire and Arran: Dalmellington and Patna
- NHS Borders: whole Board area
- NHS Dumfries and Galloway: whole Board area
- NHS Fife: Auchtermuchty, Leslie, Newburgh and Tayport
- NHS Forth Valley: Stirlingshire
- NHS Grampian: Banff, Fraserburgh, Huntly and Moray
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde: Inverclyde
- NHS Highland: whole Board area
- NHS Orkney: whole Board area
- NHS Shetland: whole Board area
- NHS Tayside: Arbroath, Dundee, Forfar, Monifieth and Kinross
- NHS Western Isles: whole Board area.
Following designation, SDAI grant funding is available to contractors (either dentist or a dental body corporate) within the area who intend to:
- establish a new NHS dental practice;
- expand an existing dental practice, with associated increase in NHS registration e.g. addition of a new surgery; or
- purchase and maintain an existing dental practice and NHS patient registration list.
Contractors who wish to access SDAI funding must make a grant application to their local NHS Board.
SDAI Grants
Awards for successful grants will be made in two tranches.
- The first tranche, comprising 80% of the total grant agreed, will be paid by the NHS Board upon confirmation that the applicant has commenced the treatment of patients under NHS General Dental Services.
- The remaining 20% of grant funding will be awarded once the NHS Board is satisfied that the practice has met its obligations re: NHS registration levels within 12 months of the first tranche payment.
Full details of the SDAI process and funding can be found at: NHS: PCA(D)(2023)2 – Revised Scottish Dental Access Initiative – 25 April 2023 – Scottish Dental
For further enquiries, please email NHSDentistry@gov.scot
Existing dental practices – purchase or expansion
The following conditions must be met by contractors in receipt of grant funding to purchase and extend an existing NHS dental practice:
- maintenance of the number of NHS patient registrations held by the practice as at the time of offer of the grant; and
- registration of an additional 1,500 NHS patients per additional grand-aided surgery.
Establishment of a new practice
For contractors in receipt of funding to create a new practice, within 12 months of the first grant payment, they must:
- register 1,500 NHS patients per grant-aided surgery.
In receiving SDAI grant funding for any stated purpose, contractors must also agree that 80% of the practice’s annual gross income will be received from provision of NHS General Dental Services.
Full terms and conditions are set out in the grant offer letter between the NHS Board and the contractor.
Application Documents:
Application Form – New Premises (Relocation)
Application Form – Purchase of Existing Premises
Application Form – Establish a New or Expand an Existing Practice
Applications will be received by NHS Boards from contractors who qualify within a designated area. NHS Boards are solely responsible for the review of applications and plans for suitability, including undertaking due diligence as appropriate. NHS Boards must also contact Scottish Government for confirmation of funding availability prior to entering into any agreement with a prospective applicant.
Following award, NHS Boards are responsible for monitoring and providing support for all SDAI-funded projects throughout the 7-year grant period. This includes:
- Annual practice visits to ensure compliance with grant conditions;
- Annual reporting;
- Monitoring of patient registration to target registration; and
- Ensuring the annual submission of independently certified practice gross income from NHS services.
Additionally, NHS Boards are responsible for conducting full/partial recoveries where any breach of conditions is found, and ensuring that these funds are paid back to the Scottish Government appropriately.
Health Board Documents
Practice Radius Template – A copy of this (which should have been completed earlier in the process) should be sent to Scottish Government.
Grant Offer Letter – Terms of the grant which must be signed by all applicants.
First Tranche Payment Template – Request for the first tranche payment to be made (80%) including information on the number of surgeries
Grant Offer Covering Letter – Health Board to send to applicant and confirm legally enforceable obligations.
NHS Board Due Diligence Confirmation – Health Board to confirm they are content with the grantee(s), all the documents produced and happy for the grant to proceed.
Second Tranche Payment Template – Health Board to send request to Scottish Government once certain conditions are met (e.g. practice has cause to be registered at least 1,500 NHS patients per grant-aided surgery and at least 80%+ of total practice’s income deriving from GDS).
Annual Report Template – Complete every year for the 7-year SDAI grant period.
Annual Report Confirmation – Confirm monitoring procedures are in place to the Scottish Government.