General Dental Services
Estimated Value
Not specified
Deadline
Not specified
Published
22 May 2026
Type
services
Overview
Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (SNEE ICB) has identified a number of areas as having limited dental access according to the population size and need. To support access SNEE ICB are undertaking an open procurement.
This notice is to make potential providers aware of this imminent opportunity and to promote two market engagement sessions. The areas which would be available as opportunities within the procurement are as follows: -Bury St Edmunds -Brandon -Eye and North West Suffolk -Saxmundham and North East Suffolk (including Leiston) -Harwich
Please refer to the procurement documents for additional information Please refer to the procurement documentation for further information
Additional details
Please refer to procurement documents for further information. Please refer to the procurement documents for further information. Please refer to procurement documentation for further information.
AI Analysis
Powered by AI — always verify against official documents
Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board is looking for dental service providers to fill gaps in NHS dental access across five specific areas in Suffolk and Essex. They're running an open tender and holding two market engagement sessions to help potential providers understand the opportunity before bidding.
Requirements
- Must be able to provide General Dental Services (NHS dental care)
- Must be registered and approved to deliver NHS dental services
- Ability to serve the specific geographic areas: Bury St Edmunds, Brandon, Eye and North West Suffolk, Saxmundham and North East Suffolk (including Leiston), or Harwich
- No specific requirements listed in the main notice — full details will be in the procurement documents (not provided here)
Key Tasks & Deliverables
- Provide NHS General Dental Services to patients in one or more of the five designated areas
- Meet patient access targets and availability standards set by the ICB
- Deliver routine dental care, treatments, and services according to NHS regulations
- Participate in mandatory market engagement sessions before submitting a bid
How to Read This Tender
- 1This is a 'market engagement notice' — it's a heads-up before the full tender launches. Attend the two engagement sessions if possible to understand what the ICB actually wants and ask questions.
- 2The notice repeatedly says 'refer to procurement documents' — this is a red flag that critical details (contract length, funding, patient targets, premises requirements) are NOT in this notice. You must get and read the full tender documents before deciding whether to bid.
- 3Check whether each geographic area is a separate contract or if you can bid for multiple areas. This affects your bidding strategy and resource planning.
- 4Look carefully in the full documents for: NHS registration requirements, premises standards, staff qualifications needed, patient access hours, and performance metrics you'll be judged on.
- 5Understand the difference between a 'Dental Practice' contract (you own/run the practice) versus a 'Personal Dental Services (PDS)' contract (more flexible terms) — the notice doesn't specify which model this is.
Tips for Small Businesses
- If you're not yet registered to provide NHS dental services, start that application immediately — it can take months. Check NHS England's provider registration requirements now.
- Consider which of the five areas you can realistically serve based on your current locations and staff. You don't have to bid for all five — focus on areas where you can compete strongly and meet patient demand.
- These are high-priority underserved areas for the ICB, so they may value demonstrating strong community ties, local recruitment plans, or commitments to accessible care (e.g., evening/weekend hours, services for elderly or disabled patients). Use this in your bid to stand out.
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How to Apply
Step-by-step submission guide
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Key Dates
Published
22 May 2026
Submission deadline
Not specified
Notice type
award
Source
find a tender
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