Community Dental Services in Somerset

NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board (Somerset ICB) are looking to award a new contract for the provision of Community Dental Services in Somerset to the existing provider.

The existing contract for the provision of Community Dental Services in Somerset is due to expire on the 31st March 2026 and Somerset ICB have proposed that a new contract should replace the existing contract at the end of its term. All requirements outlined in Regulation 6(5) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 have been met, including not breaching the considerable change threshold, and therefore direct award process C has been deemed the appropriate provider selection process.

After conducting an assessment, taking into account the key criteria and applying the basic selection criteria, Somerset ICB is content that the existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard.

The service is anticipated to commence on the 1st April 2026 for a contract duration of 2 years until the 31st March 2028. The estimated lifetime value of the contract is £6,489,380.74 based on 25/26 prices.

This notice serves as an intention to award the contract to the existing provider under Direct Award Process C of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR).

NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board (Dorset ICB) are looking to award a new contract for the provision of Community Dental Services in Somerset to the existing provider, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (SFT).

The Somerset Community Dental Service (CDS) is concerned with improving oral health care and reducing health care inequalities through the provision of primary care dental services within community settings.

The service includes the provision of Special Care and Paediatric Dentistry (SCPD) which is the treatment of:

• Adult patients who cannot be treated in a high street dental practice due to the nature of their physical or mental disabilities, or because they have a need for enhanced support to receive treatment and
• Paediatric patients who may have needs as described above, or who have more complex or significant treatment needs.

Patients who meet the eligibility criteria for SCPD are eligible to receive Mandatory Dental Services (MDS) from the Community Dental Service provider. This includes referral to other dental services where this is appropriate.

The service also includes the provision of:

• Urgent Care - both 'In Hours' and 'Out of Hours'
• Epidemiology
• Oral Health Promotion which is provided to patients seen by the service as part of their course/s of treatment
• Domiciliary Care
• Minor Oral Surgery
• Treatment under Sedation
• Treatment under General Anaesthesia (GA)

The service is available to residents and visitors of Somerset who meet the referral criteria.

The existing contract for the provision of Community Dental Services in Somerset is due to expire on the 31st March 2026, and Somerset ICB have proposed that a new contract should replace the existing contract at the end of its term. All requirements outlined in Regulation 6(5) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 have been met, including not breaching the considerable change threshold, and therefore direct award process C has been deemed the appropriate provider selection process.

After conducting an assessment, taking into account the key criteria and applying the basic selection criteria, Somerset ICB is content that the existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard.

The service is anticipated to commence on the 1st April 2026 for a contract duration of 2 years until the 31st March 2028. The estimated lifetime value of the contract is £6,489,380.74 based on 25/26 prices.

The contract value will be subject to the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body (DDRB) annual percentage uplift from 2026/27 onwards, when applied.

The Commissioner will be contracting for the services using the Standard clauses for a Personal Dental Services (PDS) agreement, with an NHS Standard Contract included as an appendix for the provision of treatment under General Anaesthesia.

This notice serves as an intention to award the contract to the existing provider under Direct Award Process C of the PSR.

During the life of the proposed new contract, Somerset ICB intend to conduct a review of the CDS and where appropriate, redesign and commission services for the future, under new longer term contractual arrangements.

This procurement has been carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.