§ Mrs. Renee Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what policies conducive to the prevention of dental decay are being pursued by his Department.
§ Mr. John PattenWe are pursuing a number of such policies. These include a pilot study to start shortly to test the feasibility of remunerating general dental practitioners by capitation payments for their child patients, which could enable a more preventive approach. Additional funds are being made available to increase the number of trainee dental hygienists, whose duties are primarily preventive. Legislation is to be introduced to clarify the powers for fluoridation of water supplies. Funds have been made available to health authorities to mount dental health surveys and education programmes and, with our support, the Health Education Council are to mount a major dental health campaign. We are, with the British Dental Association reviewing the efficacy of fissure sealants and we continue to fund research by the Royal College of Surgeons into a dental caries vaccine.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what items of preventive dentistry are included in the general dental service scale of fees.
§ Mr. John PattenFees are payable for clinical examination, advice and report and for scaling, polishing and simple periodontal treatment including oral hygiene instruction.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money generated from (a) dental charges and (b) savings incurred from reduced dental education is being ploughed back into dentistry.
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§ Mr. John PattenIncome from dental charges provides a contribution to the costs of the general dental services, but is not used specifically for their development. The reduction by 10 per cent. to the intake of the dental schools will not be implemented until October 1984.
§ Mrs. Renee Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children have been treated with topical fluoride therapy.
§ Mr. John PattenThis information is not available.
§ Mrs. Renee Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why topical fluoride therapy is not included in the general dental service scale of fees; and why it is not offered to children under the National Health Service.
§ Mr. John PattenTopical fluoride therapy is available from the community dental service where the dentist considers it right, but we have not been able to agree with the British Dental Association arrangements for including this item in the general dental service scale of fees.