Explanatory note

These Regulations further amend the Health and Personal Social Services General Dental Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 (“the principal Regulations”) which regulate the terms on which general dental services are provided under the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972.

Regulation 2 and 3 amend regulations 19 and 20 of the principal Regulations so that Determination XI of the Statement of Dental Remuneration relates to the subject matter “Practice allowance”.

Regulation 4 inserts a new provision in to the terms of service banning the use of telephone services for the purposes of the provision of general dental services which make use of national rate numbers (starting with 087), premium rate numbers (starting with 090) or personal numbers (starting with 070).

Regulation 5 makes transitional arrangements in relation to dentists who have an arrangement to provide general dental services where the dentist has, before the coming into force of these Regulations, entered into a contract or other arrangement for the provision of telephone services which will breach the ban on certain types of telephone services inserted by regulation 4 of these Regulations. Such contractors will be required to vary or terminate their existing telephone arrangements in accordance with directions from the Department.