§ Dr. MurrisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact that an increased proportion of women in the dental workforce has had on the availability of full-time equivalent practising dentists. [147502]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe number of male dentists in the general dental service has increased during the past 10 years from 11,819 dentists at September 1993 to 12,607 at September 2003. The number of female dentists has increased from 3,954 to 5,930. The female proportion has risen from 25 per cent. to 32 per cent. The implications are discussed in the report of the Dental Workforce Review, which we will be publishing shortly.