Summary

This bulletin provides an overview of NHS prescriptions written by dentists and dispensed in the community. It is based on data supplied by the Prescription Services division of the NHS Business Services Authority.

The bulletin looks at national level data for 2009 in terms of prescription items and Net Ingredient Cost (NIC) and looks at changes since 2005.

Key facts

• In 2009 4.9 million prescription items, at a Net Ingredient Cost (NIC) of £10.4 million were prescribed by dentists and dispensed in the community.
• This represents a 5.6 per cent rise in prescription items and a 0.7 per cent rise in NIC when compared to 2008.
• In 2009 prescribing of Controlled Drugs (Schedules 1-5) by dentists represented 0.09 per cent of all Controlled Drug items and 0.01 per cent of the total NIC for Controlled Drugs.