Sir, the letter from Dr Barsam, Between two stools (BDJ 2008; 205: 352) is erroneous in one respect.

As Manager of Monitoring at the DPB at the time the figure was found (early 1990s), I was responsible for setting up the system to monitor the capitation scheme. It transpired that the actual figure for supervised neglect was 3% of dentists on the register, not the 'probably less than 0.5%' as Dr Barsam stated.

At the time there were (approximately) 16,800 dentists with a contract to work under the GDS regulations on the register in England and Wales (the DPB only dealt with these regions then).

Three percent of this figure is (approximately) 500, 'about whom we had serious concern', the phrase we used to describe this. I do not remember the average number of child patients (<18 years) a dentist would have had on their list but the number of children being neglected must have run well into six figures.

I suspect we are seeing the results of this neglect today.

The figures were reported to the Department of Health at the time. It is self evident the Department didn't do anything about them.