The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7255 p883
28 June 2003

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Dentists to display lists of charges

Dentists are to be required to display tables of charges for private treatments and menus of treatments that they offer under the National Health Service.

Responding to an Office of Fair Trading report on private dental services published earlier this year, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Patricia Hewitt said that consumers were unable to make informed dental choices because they did not have basic information on prices, the quality of services and what treatments were available on the NHS. As a result, dentists are to be required to display price lists, details of NHS services and to give their patients written treatment plans and itemised bills.

If existing patients want NHS treatment which a dentist does not offer, there is to be a requirement to tell patients how they can access NHS services.

There are also to be regulatory changes through an amendment to the Dentists Act 1984 to give the General Dental Council new powers to implement a fitness to practice regime.

Private dentistry will be made subject to scrutiny by the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection.