asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if his attention has been drawn to reports received from a dental surgeon to seven Red Cross hospitals to the effect that many men have been invalided home as a result of bad teeth, and that the recovery of others who are wounded is retarded as a result of septic teeth, also that most of these men had bad teeth when they joined, and were sent out to the front without proper dental treatment; and whether, in view of the necessity of utilising our manpower to the full, the War Office will now take steps to place the dental examination of the teeth of recruits and the dental care of serving soldiers on a more satisfactory basis?

The War Office has already taken steps to place the dental examination of the teeth of recruits and the dental care of serving soldiers on a satisfactory basis.

asked how many dental surgeons are now employed as such in the Army; how many dental surgeons previously employed as combatants have received dental commissions; if it is proposed to increase the number of dental surgeons holding commissions; and, if so, by what number?

The total number of dental surgeons now employed in the Army is 584; 233 dental surgeons who were previously employed as combatants have received dental commissions. It is proposed to increase the number of dental surgeons holding commissions, but the actual number is not fixed.