Title, commencement and application

1.–(1) The title of these Regulations is the National Health Service (Dental Charges, General Dental Services Contracts and Personal Dental Services Agreements) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 which come into force on 26 March 2009.

(2) These Regulations apply in relation to Wales.

Interpretation

2. In these Regulations –

• "Dental Charges Regulations" ("Rheoliadau Ffioedd Deintyddol") means the National Health Service (Dental Charges) (Wales) Regulations 2006(2);

• "GDS Regulations" ("Rheoliadau GDS") means the National Health Service (General Dental Services Contracts) (Wales) Regulations 2006(3); and

• "PDS Regulations" ("Rheoliadau PDS") means the National Health Service (Personal Dental Services Agreements) (Wales) Regulations 2006(4).

Amendments to the Dental Charges Regulations

3. In Schedule 3 to the Dental Charges Regulations (band 3 charges – provision of appliances) –

(a) for paragraph (a) substitute –

"(a) laboratory fabricated porcelain or composite veneers, including acid etch retention"; and

(b) in paragraph (m), after the word "other" insert "non-metallic".

Amendment to the GDS Regulations

4. In Schedule 2 to the GDS Regulations (units of dental activity), in paragraph 2, in Table B –

(a) below the last entry in the first column (type of charge exempt course of treatment) add the following entry –

"Conservation treatment of deciduous teeth in a patient who is aged under 18 years at the beginning of a course of treatment"; and

(b) below the last entry in the second column (units of dental activity provided) add the following entry –

"3.0".

Amendment to the PDS Regulations

5. In Schedule 2 to the PDS Regulations (units of dental activity), in paragraph 2, in Table B –

(a) below the last entry in the first column (type of charge exempt course of treatment) add the following entry –

"Conservation treatment of deciduous teeth in a patient who is aged under 18 years at the beginning of a course of treatment"; and

(b) below the last entry in the second column (units of dental activity provided) add the following entry –

"3.0".

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the National Health Service (Dental Charges) (Wales) Regulations 2006 ("the Dental Charges Regulations") (S.I. 2006/491 (W.60)), the National Health Service (General Dental Services Contracts) (Wales) Regulations 2006 ("the GDS Regulations") (S.I. 2006/490 (W.59)) and the National Health Service (Personal Dental Services Agreements) (Wales) Regulations 2006 ("the PDS Regulations") (S.I. 2006/489 (W.58)).

Regulation 3 amends the Dental Charges Regulations. Regulation 3(a) of these Regulations amends the reference to veneers in the list of appliances for which a Band 3 Charge may be made and recovered in Schedule 3 to the Dental Charges Regulations to clarify that only laboratory fabricated veneers may be used.

Regulation 3(b) amends the reference to "bridges in other materials" in the list of appliances for which a Band 3 charge may be made and recovered in Schedule 3 in the Dental Charges Regulations to clarify the materials which may be used.

Regulations 4 and 5 respectively amend the GDS Regulations and PDS Regulations by adding in Schedule 2 to those Regulations a further dental activity to be provided under the contract or agreement in respect of conservation treatment of deciduous teeth in a patient who is aged under 18 years at the beginning of a course of treatment and that treatment attracts 3.0 units of dental activity.

A full Regulatory Impact Assessment has not been prepared for these Regulations as it has no impact on the cost of business, charities or voluntary bodies.