Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Vera Baird (Labour). It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 April 2006 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dentistry

Question: How many NHS dentists there are; and if she will make a statement. [63696]

Answer: The total number of GDS—general dental services—and PDS—personal dental services—dentists as at 31 March 2006 was 21,025; a 25 per cent. increase since 1997. The great majority of those dentists are now working under new NHS contracts. In the minority of cases where dentists have chosen not to take up a new contract, primary care trusts are successfully using the funding for these contracts to re-provide services using other dentists.

Secondary information