I am pleased to announce that we are making £100 million of capital investment funding available to the NHS to take forward infrastructure improvements for NHS primary dental care services. This builds on the four year £80 million capital investment programme already committed to supporting a 25 per cent. expansion in the number of training places for dentists. NHS dental practices and their patients will benefit from a programme of capital investment of £100 million over the two years 2006-07 and 2007-08. This will:

Support dentists in modernising premises and equipment for patients and; allow primary care trusts to give greater financial support to help dentists establish new dental practices or expand existing surgeries.

The £100 million of capital investment will be made available to the NHS, through SHAs, over the next two years to take forward infrastructure improvements for NHS primary dental care services.