Data are available on the number of National Health Service dentists in rural and urban primary care trusts (PCTs), according to the classifications by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The data are constructed from PCT-level results. As an NHS dentist may have a contract in more than one PCT, the rural and urban totals will include duplication. Duplicates have been removed from the England results.
The following table shows the number of NHS dentists per 100,000 population, by the PCT types, as at 31 March 2001 to 2006. To provide data prior to 2001 would be at disproportionate cost.
Information at 31 March 2006 is the latest available as rural and urban PCT classifications are not yet available by the new PCT boundaries (as at 1 October 2006).
PCT type1 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 England 37 38 38 38 40 42 Major urban 48 49 48 48 50 54 Large urban 43 44 44 45 47 50 Other urban 44 46 46 48 50 54 Significant rural 42 43 43 43 45 49 Rural-50 39 40 40 41 43 46 Rural-80 39 38 40 41 42 45 Notes: DEFRA classification of PCTs developed by the Rural Evidence Research Centre at Birkbeck College, September 2005. Information has been assigned at PCT level. The Birkbeck College classification are as follows: Major Urban: districts with either 100,000 people or 50 per cent., of their population in urban areas with a population of more than 750,000. Large Urban: districts with either 50,000 people or 50 per cent., of their population in one of 17 urban areas with a population between 250,000 and 750,000. Other Urban: districts with fewer than 37,000 people or less than 26 per cent., of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns. Significant Rural: districts with more than 37,000 people or more than 26 per cent., of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns. Rural-50: districts with at least 50 per cent., but less than 80 per cent., of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns. Rural-80: districts with at least 80 per cent. of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns. Sources: The Information Centre for health and social care NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) Office for National Statistics (ONS) Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Information has been taken from PCT results to obtain the split for each classification group. Some dentists may have an open general or personal dental services contract in more than one PCT and will therefore have been counted more than once. The England totals exclude duplication.
The postcode of the dental practice was used to allocate dentists to PCTs. Under the former GDS arrangements (up to 31 March 2006), a dentist could provide as much or as little NHS treatment as he or she chose. In some cases an NHS dentist may be listed to carry out NHS work but may not do so for a given period.
Information is based on Office for National Statistics mid-year 2004 population figures.