§ Mr. Aspinwallasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases have been reported to his Department by family practitioner committees where a dentist has failed to give or arrange for a patient to have all the necessary treatment for dental fitness that the patient is willing to undergo; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungComplaints of such failures reported to family practitioner committees are investigated by dental service committees under the National Health Service (Service Committees and Tribunal) Regulations 1974. If a failure satisfactorily to provide or arrange for the treatment is proved, the dentist is found in breach of his terms of service. Not more than about 80, of the total of 133 breaches of all kinds by dentists in England in 1979, were of the kind referred to. By way of comparison, the total number of courses of treatment was over 27 million.