§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is(a) the average amount paid by patients for the provision of dentures under the national health service and (b) the amount paid to dentists for the laboratory content of their fee for the provision of dentures in the categories (i) complete acrylic dentures, (ii) one to three tooth partial acrylic dentures, (iii) four to eight tooth partial dentures, (iv) nine to 13 tooth partial acrylic dentures, (v) one to three tooth partial chrome cobalt dentures, (vi) four to eight tooth partial chrome cobalt dentures and (viii) complete chrome cobalt dentures.
§ Mr. DorrellInformation is not available on the average amount paid by patients for the provision of dentures under the national health service. The table shows the amounts which are attributed to dental laboratory costs in the fees paid to dentists for the national health service treatments listed in the current scale of fees which came into effect on 1 October 1990.
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Dentures in synthetic resin (including all necessary backing and tagging) £ Full upper and full lower dentures 47.00 Partial denture bearing: One, two or three teeth 18.44 Four to eight teeth 27.04 Nine or more teeth 33.98
Metal based dentures (excluding backing) £ Plate design partial denture bearing: One, two or three teeth 64.58 Four to eight teeth 73.68 Nine to twelve teeth 74.98 Skeleton design partial denture with single connecting bar bearing: One, two or three teeth 65.47 Four to ten teeth 72.97 Skeleton design partial denture with multiple connecting bars bearing: One, two or three teeth 70.11 Four to ten teeth 77.40 Full upper or full lower denture in chrome cobalt or stainless steel 57.24
§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are used by his Department for the control of the quality of dentures provided under the national health service by dentists and dental laboratories.
§ Mr. DorrellDentures should be made of first quality material and to the highest standards of dental laboratory practice. The Department supports the activities of the certification authority for dental laboratories and suppliers and also distributes to dentists in the NHS information to assist them in selecting the most suitable materials.
The Department approves brand name products on the basis of their compliance with national and international standards and funds a number of projects concerned with the quality of dental laboratory work.
The clinician is responsible for quality of work used on the patient. This work is monitored by the Dental Practice Board through the dental reference service.
§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the new cases of oral cancer reported each year can be held to arise from the wearing of dentures.
§ Mr. DorrellWe are not aware of any evidence which would establish a positive correlation between oral cancer and the wearing of dentures.
§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the pathological conditions, of which 50 per cent. of denture wearers have shown evidence, have been malignant or pre-malignant.
§ Mr. DorrellWe know of no scientifically based epidemiological survey or report which suggests that 50 per cent. of denture wearers in England suffer from pathological conditions or the oral mucosa.
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§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of complaint arising from the provision of dentures were investigated by dental service committees during the most recent five years; and how many complaints regarding the provision of dentures were taken through to judgment by family practitioner committees during the most recent five years.
§ Mr. DorrellThe information requested is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.