Mr. John Mark Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has received the Report of the departmental review group on dental manpower; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CurrieHealth Ministers have agreed the main recommendations of the Department's review group on dental manpower and copies of the report have today been deposited in the Library.
The review group has concluded that to meet expected demand for treatment the estimated number of dentists should be increased from the present figure of around 24,700 to 30,700 by 2025; a 25 per cent. increase in the estimated number of dentists over the period.
The group believes that it is essential to avoid an over-supply over the next 30 years. If dentists are trained at the present rate, there would be 1,700 more dentists than needed by the year 2015.
The review group has recommended that in order to achieve the desirable level of supply of dentists it will be necessary to reduce intake to United Kingdom dental schools by 10 per cent. from 1988, but the precise implications for individual dental schools are a matter for the University Grants Committee in conjunction with the Department of Education and Science and other interested parties.
The University Grants Committee has been conducting its own review of dental school provision concurrently with the review group and has been made aware of its findings.