Entry to the Dentists Register is an issue for the General Dental Council. This body and such issues are reserved and dealt with through the Department of Health in England.Entering the Dentists Register in the UK is not the same as working in the UK. Entry to the register does not guarantee entry to the UK or a work permit to work here. Home Office permission must still be granted and immigration criteria satisfied, for dentists from outwith the European Economic Area (EEA). Dentists who qualify in the EEA are entitled to free movement within that area, including the UK.In Scotland, 98.3% of General Dental Practitioners trained in the UK, (91% in Scotland) 1.8% elsewhere (EEA including Ireland and overseas). The Scottish Executive Health Department is pursuing policies aimed at retaining Scottish graduates in Scotland.

There are very few local authority homes catering for physically disabled people. Table 4.7 in Scottish Community Care Statistics 2000 shows that there were three such homes open at the 1999 census and four at the 2000 census. The average weekly charge figures are therefore based on a very small number of homes and any changes e.g. homes opening or closing may have a significant effect on the average in this table.

Direct payments are available to disabled people, aged 18 and over, who have been assessed as needing community care services, including care in their own homes. Direct payments can be used to purchase all community care services except permanent residential care. They can, however, be used to purchase temporary residential care subject to a maximum set down in regulations.

Based on data held by the Department of Health and ISD Scotland, the ratio of all dentists providing services within the NHS is 48.94 per 100,000 population in Scotland and 43.81 per 100,000 population in England. These figures include dentists working in General Dental Services, Community Dental Services and Hospital Dental Services.

From 1997-98 onwards, this category excludes expenditure on nursing homes. The gross expenditure has increased by £21.3 million between 1997-98 and 1999-2000 (net expenditure increase of £12.6 million).

Imported processed meats are controlled under Products of Animal Origin legislation and imports from third countries are subject to documentary and physical checks. Consignments which do not satisfy either documentary or physical checks are required to be destroyed, re-exported or reprocessed. It is not necessary to show evidence of disease or health hazard if documentary checks show consignments do not comply with Community or national controls.In addition to the normal returns made by Border Inspection Posts, as a result of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak new arrangements on the sharing of such information between the local authorities, Food Standards Agency and Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department on illegally imported meat products were agreed in April 2001. The Food Standards Agency advises that since 1 July 1999 there have been no notifications of consignments or illegally imported products into Scotland which would have posed an animal or public health hazard.

There is not at present any reliable method of identifying patients at a high risk of developing osteoporosis, nor is there any evidence that physiotherapy can do anything to prevent it from developing. The only measures known to prevent the development of osteoporosis are exercise, low alcohol consumption, not smoking and a balanced diet with a higher consumption of calcium and vitamin D and lowered consumption of sodium, protein and caffeine. These are all measures which are actively promoted by the Executive, because they reduce the risks of developing many other conditions as well as osteoporosis.

Funding has been made available towards dentists continuing professional development and will be made available in respect of the caries prevention scheme.

Dental hygienist and therapist training is now planned centrally and we have agreed target numbers for Edinburgh Dental Institute, Glasgow Dental Hospital and School and Dundee Dental Hospital and School. This will be centrally funded in the same way as already developed for dental students.

We have concluded successfully discussions with the dental profession on the introduction of a caries prevention scheme for six and seven-year-olds in all deprivation categories which includes fissure sealing the first molars of these children. I will announce shortly further details of the introduction of this scheme.