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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population in Essex has been registered with an NHS dentist in each of the last 12 years. [115190] Mr. Lammy: At 31 December 2002, 48.4 per cent. of the population of Essex Strategic Health Authority was registered with a general dental service (GDS) dentist. The information in the following table shows the percentage of the population registered with a GDS dentist in the Essex area, at September each year from 1991 to 2001. General Dental Service: Percentage of the population registered with a GDS dentist in Essex, 1991-2001 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Percentage of population registered with a GDS dentist North Essex and South Essex HA 2001 59.0 2000 60.3 1999 59.0 1998 57.3 1997 64.2 1996 65.1 Essex FHSA 1995 66.5 1994 69.5 1993 70.0 1992 68.6 1991 51.0 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Note: 1991-2001 ONS mid year population estimates based on the 1991 census. Registrations lapse if patients do not return to their dentist within 15 months and so the registration figures exclude patients who have not been to their GDS dentist within the past 15 months. Also excluded from the figures are patients who receive dental treatment from other national health service dental services including dental access centres. Registration rates from 1998 onwards are not comparable with earlier rates because of reduction in registration periods to 15 months. Registrations began in October 1990 and the September 1991 figure is low because registration numbers were building up. Patients who have difficulty accessing a high street dentist can receive NHS dental care from the community dental service. In addition, there is a personal dental services pilot in North Essex treating children only. 2,848 children were seen in the pilot in 2002-03.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

115190; 406 c373-4W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Dental services Dentistry Essex NHS Patients Registration

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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