§ Mr. WoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of dental services which are free at the point of use. [124628]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonGross spend on general dental services (GDS), that is, payments to dentists covering both their income and expenses, was £1.7 billion in 2002–03 in England. Adults who pay charges for their dental treatment contributed about £0.5 billion, leaving a net £1.2 billion contributed by Government.
National health service resources are also spent on dental services delivered in the community dental service (CDS) and the hospital dental service. Estimate of the cost of the CDS is £150 million. There is no similar estimate for the cost of hospital dental services.