Patients' Dental Records Mr. Arthur Lewis asked the Secretary of State for Social Services under what statutory authority plans and drawings of persons' teeth and false dentures are circulated to persons and organisations unconnected with the National Health Service; whether this is limited to giving this information to the police authorities; and whether, in these instances, he will give an assurance that it only applies to convicted criminals who may have escaped and are on the run where such photographs may be used in assisting in recapturing the criminal. Sir K. Joseph National Health Service hospital dental records are confidential and are not made available without the patient's consent to persons and organisations unconnected with his treatment. Records of treatment provided under the General Dental Service are the property of individual dentists. The Dental Estimates Board, which retains for up to two years details of courses of dental treatment provided under the General Dental Service, will provide information from these records only at the request of coroners' officers or the police for the purpose of identifying dead bodies, and subject to the consent of the practitioner concerned.