Providers can claim maternity leave payments if their clinician meets the qualifying conditions.
They can claim for a period of 26 weeks starting:
- no earlier than the 11th week before the week the clinician is due to give birth
- no later than the week the clinician is due to give birth
Maternity leave payments are taxable and fully pensionable.
Read the full Statement of Financial Entitlement (SFE).
Who can apply
A provider can claim maternity leave payments for a clinician it employs if the clinician has:
- been named on an NHS dental performer list for 2 years with 26 weeks continuous employment before the week they're due to give birth - this period must precede the 15th week before they're due to give birth
- become pregnant and reached the 11th week before the week they're due to give birth
- stopped performing dental services on the contract
- not registered as a Limited Company
Foundation dentists can apply for maternity leave payments once they've completed one years foundation dentist training and one year as a qualified clinician.
If the SFE application relates to surrogacy, email our SFE team at sfe@nhsbsa.nhs.uk who'll assist further.
How to apply
You can apply for maternity leave payments by downloading and completing the application form.
Clinicians in England must email their completed application to nhsbsa.dentalservices@nhsbsa.nhs.uk.
Clinicians in Wales must email their completed application to nwssp-primarycareservices@wales.nhs.uk.
Separate applications must be made for each contract you're a clinician on.
Applications must be received:
- no earlier than one month before the payment start date
- no later than 3 months after the payment start date
You must check the figures are correct on Compass before the claim is submitted.
A recalculation will only be made in exceptional circumstances.
Sending evidence
The application must include a MATB1 or written statement by a registered healthcare professional confirming the week the clinician is due to give birth.
If the clinician cannot claim Statutory Maternity Allowance (SMA) or they’re claiming a reduced amount, we must receive the SMA letter.
Payments
Providers are paid a weekly amount based on the clinician's Net Pensionable Earnings (NPE) or Net Pensionable Earnings Equivalent (NPEE) on Compass at the date the payment is due.
Weekly payments cannot exceed £1,660 for a dental clinician and £3,630 for orthodontic clinicians.
An orthodontic clinician is a clinician who earns 50% or more of their weekly NPE or NPEE from orthodontic services.
If the clinician can claim Maternity Allowance (MA), an amount equal to this is deducted from their payment.
Payments will stop if the clinician leaves the contract during the payment period.
If the dates of leave change from those on the initial SFE application, the provider must contact nhsbsa.dentalservices@nhsbsa.nhs.uk.