§ Mr. Hastingsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the dentist/patient ratio in Mid-Bedfordshire; if he is satisfied that the emergency dentist service in that area is working satisfactorily; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir K. JosephSince 1965 the dentist/patient ratio in Bedfordshire has got worse except for a sharp improvement in 1971. I am therefore not satisfied with the dentist/patient ratio in Bedfordshire—nor indeed with the geographical distribution of dentists in the country as a whole.
There is no formal emergency service out of normal hours in mid-Bedfordshire and I have no power to compel dentists to provide such a service.
I am much concerned about both these longstanding problems of the National Health Service general dental services and this was one of the main reasons for my invitation to the British Dental Association to join a working party with my Department to consider the future of the dental services.