§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she intends to take to increase awareness of patients' rights to claim reductions in, or exemptions from, charges for dental treatment.
§ Dr. MawhinneyUnder the new dental contract introduced in October 1990, dentists are, for the first time, required to display in a prominent position at their practice premises a notice, indicating national health service charges which are payable under general dental services and giving details of entitlement to exemption from and remission of such NHS charges. In addition there are already leaflets available to the public on dental charges and NHS charges more generally. A complementary series of leaflets in ethnic languages is planned for the near future.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the current number of dentists(a) in the NHS, (b) in private practice and (c) practising both privately and in the NHS; what are the comparable figures for the previous five years; and if she will make a statement on the trends.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe number of dentists providing general dental services in England under the national health service as at 30 September each year was as follows:
Year Number 1987 14,765 1988 15,070 1989 15,351 1990 15,480 1991 15,451 These figures are consistent with the increase of nearly 30 per cent. since 1978 in the numbers of dentists providing dental treatment under the NHS.
The figures do not include dentists who provide treatment under the hospital and community dental services.
The information requested on the numbers of dentists who practise privately, in whole or in part, is not held centrally.