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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children are not registered with a NHS dentist in Shrewsbury and Atcham. [177682] Dr. Ladyman: The information is not available in the form requested. 39,000 children aged under 18 were registered with a general dental service practice in the Shropshire County Primary Care Trust (PCT) area on 31 March 2004. Some of the children registered will be resident outside the PCT area. Similarly, some children from the area will be registered with dentists who practice outside the area. The population estimate for Shropshire County PCT is 61,000 children under the age of 18. The difference between the population estimate and registration number is 22,000. However, it should be noted that registrations lapse if patients do not return to their dentist within 15 months. Registrations will exclude patients who have not been to their general dental service (CDS) dentist within the past 15 months and patients who receive dental treatment from other national health service dental services. It should also be noted that the figures do not include patients attending the dental access centres which opened during the period and whose patients are not registered. NHS dental services are also provided by the community dental service, personal dental service, salaried service of the CDS and the hospital dental service. These services do not require the patient to be registered with a dentist before treatment.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

177682; 422 c1271W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Children Dental services Registration Shropshire Shrewsbury Atcham

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk