Commenting on today’s Health Select Committee report into dentistry, which highlights problems that have developed since the introduction of the new dental contract, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson and Select Committee Member, Sandra Gidley said:

"This is another example of the Government meddling and rushing through changes without thinking about the consequences.

"The facts speak for themselves. The number of patients seen by NHS dentists between December 2005 and December 2007 has fallen by a million.

"The scandal for patients is that many are receiving less sophisticated treatment and are paying more for the privilege.

"The Government has plunged us headlong into a dark age of dentistry."