Misleading dentist statistics hide Government incompetence

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 23rd Aug 2006

Commenting on statistics released today showing an increase in the number of NHS dentists from 2005/6, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, Sandra Gidley MP said:

"These misleading figures do not reflect the Government's incompetent reforms of NHS dentistry.

"They do not take into account the thousands of dentists who have left the NHS this year because of the Government's botched new dental contract.

"How can the Government claim that access to an NHS dentist will be easier when so many dentists are in dispute with their reforms and many have dropped out altogether?

"Our research shows that rather than increasing access to dentistry, the new contracts provide for just one check up per year for NHS patients.

"This makes a mockery of Tony Blair's promise seven years ago that everyone who wanted access to an NHS dentist would have it by 2001."