To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many custom-made dental appliances were prescribed in 2005-06; and how many custom-made dental appliances have been prescribed since April 2006. (82099)

There were 3.7 million payment claims for items of service that involved custom-made dental appliances made to the Dental Practice Board during the 12 months ending 31 March 2006.

The information is not available in this form under the new system of dental remuneration. Providers of general dental service and personal dental services now have an agreed annual contract value, which is paid in 12 monthly payments instalments. In return for this contract value, the provider carries out over the course of the year an agreed number of units of dental activity that corresponds to overall course of treatment. The provider no longer has to submit data on the individual items of service within each course of treatment. Any dental appliances prescribed within a course of treatment are a matter for individual clinical judgment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the £400 million per year extra that has been spent on dentistry has been spent on dental technology and dental laboratories. (82100)

The Department does not allocate funds directly to dental technology or dental laboratories. The costs involved in having dental appliances manufactured for national health service patients are met by general dental practitioners from within the overall remuneration they receive for providing NHS services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for the future training of dental technicians. (82101)

It is for higher and further education institutions to determine the provision they make for the training of dental technicians. I understand that a number of dental schools are considering whether provision for the training of dental technicians could be incorporated into the dental education expansion programme, but no specific proposals have yet emerged.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition of a child was used in dental contracts before April 2006; what definition is used in contracts from April 2006; and if she will make a statement. (82330)

The definition of a child in the National Health Service (General Dental Services Contracts) Regulations 2005 and National Health Service (Personal Dental Services Agreements) Regulations 2005 is a person who has not attained the age of 16 years.

This definition applies only for the purposes of determining whether it is a child or his or her parent or guardian who may request treatment, express a preference of practitioner, give consent to treatment, or make a complaint about services. The same definition applied in the 1992 regulations that governed the provision of general dental services up until 31 March 2006.

There has been no change to the groups of patients who are exempt from NHS dental charges. Children aged under 18, and those aged 18 and in full-time education, remain exempt from charges.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of the new dental contract on the (a) type and (b) quality of dental appliances supplied. (82553)

It is for individual dentists working under general dental services contracts or personal dental services agreements to use their clinical judgement to determine the type and quality of any dental appliance required. The Department does not collect routine information on the quantity or type of dental appliances supplied but will be assessing, in conjunction with the implementation review group, the impact of the new contractual arrangements on this and other aspects of the services provided to national health service patients.