Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the protections in place relating to dental tattoos.

Cosmetic dental tattoos can be applied to crowns during manufacture if mutually agreed by dentist and patient. Crowns are dental appliances and the addition of a tattoo does not alter the usual patient protections that apply to the commission and manufacture of such appliances. Either the dentist or, in defined circumstances, the technician who created an appliance is professionally responsible for its safety and quality. Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EC sets out the requirements that apply to those commissioning and/or manufacturing appliances. Compliance with this is a legal requirement and failure to do so is a criminal offence.