§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have ceased to treat NHS patients in each of the past five years for which figures are available. [107727]
§ Mr. HuttonThere are a number of reasons why dentists leave the General Dental Services (GDS) including retirement and career breaks. The 1998–99 figures are inflated by the transfer of some dentists from the GDS to some Personal Dental Service pilots.
The available information for the number of dentists leaving the GDS for the years 1994–95 to 1998–99 is shown in the table.
Number of dentists who left the GDS from 1994–95 to 1998–99 England 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 Principals 764 744 692 738 761 Assistants 46 54 64 85 106 Vocational trainees 84 22 78 77 105 Total 894 820 834 900 972