HC Deb 29 March 1994 vol 240 cc681-2W
Mr. Davidson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the Association of Denture Prosthesis on the introduction of a Bill on Professions Supplementary to Dentistry; what plans she has for further discussions; and if she will make a statement.

Dr. Mawhinney

I met the hon. Member for Southend, East (Sir Teddy Taylor) and representatives of the Association for Denture Prosthesis on 28 February 1994.

Ms Corston

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 17 March,Official Report, column 830, what information her Department has centrally for England and Wales as a whole on the number of dental surgeons (i) providing national health service treatment and (ii) not providing national health service treatment for each of the last five years.

Dr. Mawhinney

The available information is shown in the table. Information is not held on dentists in wholly private practice.

Number of general dental practitioners providing national health service treatment1 at 30 September
England and Wales
Year Number of dentists under contract to family health services authorities2
1989 16,178
1990 16,317
1991 16,287
1992 16,242
1993 16,616
1 National health service dental treatment is also provided by the community dental service, the hospital dental service and by salaried dentists.
2 Includes principals, assistants and vocational trainees.