Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many General Dental Council investigations into potential malpractice have not been completed within (a) three, (b) five and (c) seven years of that council becoming aware of an original concern; and what assessment she has made of the implications for patient safety of dentists under investigation.

The information requested is not held centrally. The General Dental Council is the independent regulator of dentists and dental care professionals in the United Kingdom and is responsible for investigating concerns about treatment or the conduct of its registrants.