NHS Dentists (Hansard, 5 March 2002)

§ Mr. Burns
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of(a) adults and (b) children living in the Greater London area are registered with an NHS dentist; and what the figures were in May 1997. [37482]

§ Ms Blears
The numbers of adults registered with General Dental Services (GDS) dentist as a percentage of the population in Greater London at 30 April 1997 and 31 December 2001 were 48 per cent. and 37 per cent respectively.
The number of children registered with General Dental Services (GDS) dentist as a percentage of the population in Greater London at 30 April 1997 and 31 December 2001 were 49 per cent. on both dates.
The registration rates for 30 April 1997 and 31 December 2001 are not comparable. The registration period for adults was changed from 24 months to 15 months for new registrations in September 1996. For children, registrations used to lapse at the end of the calendar year after attendance at the dentist; since September 1996 the registration period is 15 months. These changes began to affect registration numbers in December 1997.
Some patients who are not registered with a GDS dentist choose to attend occasionally. Patients may attend a dentist in a different area from the area in which they live.
Greater London is the area covered by the health authorities in the London health region.

§ Mr. Burns
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists were practising in the NHS in Greater London(a) in May 1997 and (b) at the latest available date. [37483]

§ Ms Blears
The numbers of General Dental Service (GDS) dentists carrying out the majority of their work in Greater London at 31 March 1997 and 30 September 2001 were 2,877 and 3,190 respectively.
The total number of GDS dentists covers principals on a health authority list, their assistants and vocational dental practitioners.
Also 41 dentists were working in the Personal Dental Service (PDS) in the London HAs at 30 September 2001 who were not working in the GDS. The PDS began in October 1998.
Greater London is the area covered by the HAs in the London Health Region.