Adults who do not pay for NHS dental treatment account for a bigger proportion of complex dental treatments than paying adults - an NHS Information Centre report shows today.

Less than a quarter of all courses of treatment (9.0 million out of 39.2 million overall) performed by dentists in 2010/11 were carried out on non-paying adults; but this group accounted for more than half of all the complex courses of treatment (1.2 million out of 2.2 million in total), such as bridgework and dentures, carried out during this time.

One reason for this may be a lower standard of dental health among non-paying adults, according to NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2010/11.

The report brings together information on different aspects of NHS dentistry in England, from the number of dentists working for the NHS and the amount of activity they perform, to the number of patients seen by an NHS dentist. It points to an increasing number of NHS dentists, NHS dental patients and also NHS dental treatments.

Key facts include:

• The number of treatment courses performed on the NHS increased by 655,000 (1.7 per cent) in a year to reach 39.2 million in 2010/11. This number has been increasing each year since the courses of treatment measure was first introduced in 2006/07.
• 29.2 million patients (56.3 per cent of the population) were seen by an NHS dentist in the 24 months to June 2011; a one million increase on the 24 months to March 2006, immediately prior to the introduction of the current dental contract6 when 55.8 per cent of the population were seen by an NHS dentist.
• Among child patients; 7.8 million were seen by an NHS dentist in the 24 months to June 2011; a 26,000 decrease (0.3 per cent) on the 24 months to March 2006. The number of child patients seen has increased each quarter since June 2008.
• An increasing number of female dentists are working for the NHS. In 2010/11; 22,800 dentists performed NHS activity – an increase of approximately 800 (3.6 per cent) overall on the previous year. 43.5 per cent of NHS dentists are now females following a 6.8 per cent increase on the previous year. This continues a recent trend that is particularly notable in the under-35 age group; 55.2 per cent of whom are female.

For the first time the report includes information on the different types of clinical treatments performed by dentists. A key finding from this data is that the number of treatment courses that included a fluoride varnish increased substantially between 2009/10 and 2010/11.

Child treatments of this type rose by 55.1 per cent to nearly 850,000 (8.1 per cent of all child treatments included a fluoride varnish), while there was a 21.6 per cent rise among adults to 335,000 (1.2 per cent of all adult treatments included a fluoride varnish). The rise may reflect the response of dentists to Department of Health recommendations in its Delivering Better Oral Health tool kit.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: “Our report shows that dentists in England are carrying out more than half of their most complex of treatments on adults who are entitled to free NHS dental treatment. This is interesting; given that this group only account for about a quarter of treatment courses overall.

“One reason for this may be a lower standard of dental health among non-paying adults. The condition of their teeth may be warranting complex treatments like crowns, dentures and bridgework to fix the problem.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care (The NHS IC) is England's authoritative, central, independent source of health and social care information. It works with a wide range of health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researcher, regulators and policymakers in their work. The NHS IC also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
2. Following feedback from customers regarding the timeliness of patients seen data, data for the latest 24 month period ending 30 June 2011 are also included as patient seen data are available earlier than the activity data.
3. Dental activity is measured in terms of Courses of Treatment (CoTs) and Units of Dental Activity (UDAs. UDAs is the technical term used in the NHS dental contract system regulations to describe weighted CoTs. Weightings used to convert the CoT data to UDAs by band are set out below. Band 3 receives the highest weighting as it is within this band that the most complex treatments are performed. Where patients seen figures are quoted, these refer to the number of unique patients who started a course of treatment at any time during the 24 months prior to the quarter end date.
4. A Course of Treatment (COT) may include more than one clinical treatment (for example, a patient may have a scale and polish as well as a filling within one CoT). A CoT falls into one of three main bands (based on the complexity of the most complex aspect of the treatment). Band 1 covers a check up and simple treatment (such as examination, diagnosis (e.g. x-rays), advice on preventative measures, and a scale and polish), Band 2 includes mid range treatments (such as fillings, extractions, and root canal work) in addition to Band 1 work, and Band 3 includes complex treatments (such as crowns, dentures, and bridges) in addition to Band 1 and Band 2 work. There is also a separate Urgent Band which includes a specified set of possible treatments provided to a patient in certain circumstances.
5. Percentage of patients seen figures for PCTs are calculated using the number of patients seen by NHS dentists in a PCT and the estimated residential population of the PCT. Patients may not necessarily receive treatment in the PCT in which they are resident.
6. The current NHS dental contract arrangements were introduced with effect from April 2006
7. Dental services provided privately are not covered in the report.
8. Patients are exempt from NHS dental charges where they are: a child - aged under 18; aged 18 and in full-time education; pregnant or have had a baby in the year before treatment starts; an NHS inpatient where treatment is delivered by the hospital dentist; an NHS Hospital Dental Service outpatient (there may be a charge for dentures and bridges); in receipt of: Income Support (or partner in receipt of Income Support); income-based Jobseeker's Allowance; Pension Credit Guarantee Credit; named on a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate; named on a valid NHS Low Income Scheme HC2 certificate; an adult in receipt of income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA); prisoner patients named on an NHS Low Income Scheme HC3 certificate may be eligible for partial help with dental costs.
9. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or contact mediaenquiries@ic.nhs.uk