§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people expected to be removed from NHS dentists' registers because they have not made an appointment in the last 15 months. [16634]
§ Mr. MilburnFrom 1 September 1996, the registration period for both adult continuing care and child capitation was harmonised to provide patients with a period of continuing dental care for 15 months following each course of treatment. The most recent estimate is that registration numbers may gradually fall by about 4 million as a result of this change. However, the actual effect on the number of patients registered with a dentist will depend on the response to the incentive for many patients to attend the dentist on a more regular basis.