# The National Health Service (Dental Charges) (Scotland) Regulations 1989, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations replace with modifications regulations providing for the making and recovery of charges for dental appliances, supplied or repaired under the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland, and for other dental treatment provided as part of NHS general dental services.
These Regulations provide for charges for—
(a) the supply of dentures and bridges, whether or not as part of general dental services (regulations 2, 4 and 6 and Schedule 1);
(b) the provision of other dental treatment as part of general dental services (regulations 3, 4 and 6);
(c) the supply or repair, whether or not as part of general dental services, of dental appliances of a type more expensive than is clinically necessary (regulation 8 and Schedule 3); and
(d) the replacement, as part of general dental services, of dental appliances lost or damaged by an act or omission of the patient (regulation 9 and Schedule 4).
(Charges for repair under the NHS, otherwise than as part of general dental services, of dental appliances lost or damaged by an act or omission of the patient remain subject to the more general provisions as to appliances contained in the National Health Service (Charges for Appliances) (Scotland) Regulations 1974.)
The Regulations provide in addition for the conditions for exemption from charges (regulation 5 and Schedule 2), discontinuation of general dental services where charges are not paid (regulation 10), the reduction of a dental practitioner’s remuneration by the amount of the charge which is recoverable under the Regulations (regulation 11) and the revocation of the superseded Regulations on dental charges (regulation 12 and Schedule 5).
Changes of substance made by these Regulations are as follows.
Firstly, the basis of the charge for the supply of all dentures and bridges is altered from a specified amount to that which applies to other treatment, namely a formula of 75% of the fees which are or would be payable to a dentist providing general dental services for the supply of a denture or bridge of the relevant type. (The charges fixed since 1st April 1988 were of an amount approximately equal to 75% of those fees). The effect on the level of charges will increase charges for dentures by an average of about 10%. Other charges are not affected, except for a bridge of a Maryland type for which the charge is increased by 1.5%.
Secondly, a provision authorising additional charges for certain types of conservation treatment (gold inlays, pinlays or crowns) more expensive than clinically necessary is removed.
Thirdly, the condition that documentary evidence be produced to support a claim for exemption from charges for dental appliances or other treatment as part of general dental services is extended to cases where exemption is claimed on grounds of being under 18 or under 19 and in full-time education (regulation 5 and Schedule 2), and the nature of the evidence to be produced in all cases of exemption is specified in the Regulations.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/363/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/national-health-service-dental-charges-scotland-regulations-1989/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.