In making its recommendation on commitment payments, the DDRB considered that the scheme should: reward past and present commitment to the NHS; require a high threshold of NHS gross fee earnings; commence the first payments to general dental practitioners after about 10 years service in the NHS; and provide a further boost to NHS earnings at a later stage in GDPs' careers once again based on length of service criteria.The NHS gross fee earnings threshold of £25,000 was set following discussions between the Health Departments and the British Dental Association.I am aware that there have been some concerns about whether the commitment scheme is achieving its underlying purpose in areas where there is limited population, and have asked officials to review this during the coming financial year.