§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many (a) dental therapists and (b) dental hygienists were employed by the National Health Service or by dentists with contracts with the National Health Service, in May 1979 and at the latest available date.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergEmployment statistics for dental therapists and dental hygienists are not held in the precise form requested by the hon. Member, but the following information is available for the United Kingdom as a whole:
31 December 1979 31 December 1982 (a) Dental therapists* Employed by NHS (hospital and community services) 412 381 (b) Dental hygienists (i) Employed by NHS (hospital and community services) 195 199 (ii) Employed by GDPs (employment by GDPs with NHS contracts cannot be separately identified) 717 1,067 * Dental therapists are permitted by law to work only in the provision of national health services.