How many, and what percentage of, dental practices are currently eligible for commitment payments in each NHS board area.

Commitment payments were introduced in 2000 and are paid to individual general dental practitioners and not to practices. The conditions of entitlement for payment of a commitment payment are set down in Determination IX of the Statement of Dental Remuneration. In 2004-05 a total of 1,300 dentists received such a payment per quarter as follows:
NHS Board Area
| Number of Dentists Receiving Commitment Payments
| Number of Principal Dentists1

Argyll and Clyde
| 111
| 159

Ayrshire and Arran
| 107
| 137

Borders
| 22
| 28

Dumfries and Galloway
| 28
| 36

Fife
| 93
| 127

Forth Valley
| 70
| 100

Grampian
| 76
| 161

Greater Glasgow
| 295
| 463

Highland
| 37
| 65

Lanarkshire
| 143
| 211

Lothian
| 208
| 344

Orkney
| 0
| 1

Shetland
| 3
| 2

Tayside
| 104
| 164

Western Isles
| 3
| 2

Scotland
| 1,300
| 1,900

Source: Scottish Dental Practice Board Annual Report 2004-05.
Note: 1. Number of principal dentists (excluding salaried principal dentists) at 31 March 2005.
A number of principal dentists are on the lists of more than one NHS board area, which results in double counting, and for this reason it is not possible to provide the percentage of dentists currently eligible for commitment payments.
Commitment payments are different to payments which have been introduced for NHS committed practices. Those dental practices which meet the definition of NHS committed are entitled to certain new payments, eg an additional 6% in respect of the general dental practice allowance. These payments are made to the practice. A total of 566 practices are NHS committed which represents 68% of all practices. This figure excludes specialist practices, such as orthodontic practices, as the criteria for determining the NHS commitment of such practices are currently being developed. The number and percentage of practices regarded as NHS committed in each NHS board area are not yet available. I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and will arrange for a copy of my reply to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38797).