§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are registered with an NHS dentist in Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust. [173855]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson96,800 patients were registered with a general dental service dentist in the Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust area on 31 March 2004.
Registrations lapse if patients do not return to their dentists within 15 months. Registration rates will exclude patients who have not been to their general dental service dentist within the past 15 months and patients who receive dental treatment from other national health service dental services.
Registrations are included in the area of the dentist. The registration rates for some areas may be affected by some patients receiving their dental treatment in a different area from the one in which they live.
NHS dental services are also provided by the community dental service, personal dental service, salaried service of the GDS and hospital dental service. These services do not require the patient to be registered with a dentist before treatment.