Written question asked by Lord Lansley (Conservative) on Thursday, 16 February 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 27 February 2006. It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Friday, 10 March 2006 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dentistry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from (a) denturists and (b) patients of denturists regarding the reforms introduced by the Dentists Act (Amendment) Order 2005; and what the content of these representations was.

Answer: At its meeting on 7 December 2005, the General Dental Council (GDC) agreed that appropriately qualified clinical dental technicians, who are also known as denturists, should be registered and allowed to see edentulous patients, without prior review by a dentist, for the purpose of supplying and maintaining complete dentures.This measure, which was enabled by amendments to the Dentists Act 1984 made as part of the Government's policy on better regulation, has been welcomed. We have, however, received representations from dental technicians, who wish to become denturists, and also from some of their patients about the recognition, for the purposes of registration, of past experience and qualifications obtained overseas. These matters are the responsibility of the GDC.

Secondary information