What Is the UDA Clawback Calculator in a Dental Practice?
The UDA Clawback Calculator estimates the financial penalty a dental practice faces if it fails to deliver the full number of UDAs (Units of Dental Activity) required by its NHS contract.
The NHS typically reclaims a proportionate amount of contract value for any UDA shortfall — and if under 96% delivery, the full amount may be clawed back.
Clawback = Contract Value × (% UDAs Undelivered)
Why UDA Clawback Matters for Dental Practice Owners
Clawback can:
- Wipe out months of profit
- Strain cash flow unexpectedly
- Create associate pay disputes
- Cause NHS contract flags or scrutiny
- Undermine year-end financial planning
Example:
| Contract | 6,000 UDAs @ £29 = £174,000
| Delivered | 5,400 UDAs
→ 600 UDAs short = 10% shortfall
→ Clawback = £17,400 — due to NHS England in full if <96% threshold met
DentPulse calculates this risk in real time — not after the damage is done.
UDA Clawback Thresholds
| Delivery Rate | NHS Response |
| 🟢 96–100% | Usually no clawback |
| 🟡 90–95.9% | Clawback likely unless discretionary mitigation |
| 🔴 <90% | High clawback, may trigger contract performance review |
Many dentists aren’t told how clawback is calculated until the invoice arrives — months too late.
How DentPulse Prevents and Plans for UDA Clawback
| Feature | Function |
| Live UDA Tracker | Shows delivery vs target daily and monthly |
| Clawback Calculator | Auto-estimates financial impact of underperformance |
| Associate Monitoring | Breaks down delivery by clinician to isolate causes |
| PPP™ Integration | Shows how clawback affects take-home profit and drawings |
| Cash Flow Overlay | Models how upcoming payments will impact liquidity |
DentPulse turns clawback from a shock into a solvable scenario.
DentPulse Tip™
You shouldn’t find out about a £14,000 clawback
after your accountant files your year-end.
With live tracking and early alerts, you can recover — or restructure — before NHS penalties hit.
Related Glossary Terms
- UDA (Unit of Dental Activity) – The NHS’s measurement of treatment output
- NHS Clawback – Reclaimed NHS income due to under-delivery
- Associate UDA Performance – Direct contributor to delivery risk
- Cash Flow Forecasting – Needed to plan for clawback payments
- PTP™ – Profit-to-Pocket – Connects clawback impact to safe drawings
Glossary Summary Table
| Term | Meaning |
| UDA Clawback Calculator | A tool that estimates the financial penalty from NHS underperformance |
| Purpose | Prevent unexpected losses and trigger early recovery action |
| Financial Impact | Reduces NHS income, affects profit and personal pay |
| DentPulse Advantage | Real-time visibility, early warnings, and actionable solutions |
