§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she will take to ensure that patients presenting themselves for treatment at dental surgeries are made aware of the cost of the treatment before its524W commencement; and also made aware of whether this treatment is available under the NHS.
§ Mr. MaloneDentists are required to provide patients with treatment plans which include details of costs of national health service treatment and any private treatment proposed. Dentists are also required to display in their surgeries information about NHS charges and about entitlement to exemption from and remission of such charges.
§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices in each health authority area in England are(a) providing national health service treatment to existing patients and (b) willing to provide NHS treatment to new patients; and what percentage of the population in each area is registered for NHS treatment.
§ Mr. MaloneInformation about general dental service practitioners under contract to family health services authorities will be placed in the Library. Information about dentists willing to take new national health service patients is not available centrally. Patients may register with dentists in FHSAs other than in the area where they are resident. Information is not available centrally therefore on the percentage of population of any FHSA which is registered.