MAJORITY REPORT. 
83. The evidence we have received from Societies shows that 
this is a very popular benefit, and it has been urged on us from 
many quarters that it should be made a normal benefit available 
for all insured persons on uniform terms. The Hearts of Oak 
Benefit Society state that, although they did not originally include 
dental treatment as one of their additional benefits, it was found 
necessary at a later date to diminish the additional cash benefits in 
order to meet the demands of the members for dental assistance 
(App. IV, 256). The Ancient Order of Foresters submit that 
““ the provision of dental benefit, probably more than the pro- 
vision of any other treatment benefit, would have the effect of 
conserving benefit funds so far as the drain due to sickness and 
disablement benefits is concerned >’ (App. V, 49). The National 
Conference of Industrial Assurance Approved Societies accept 
the view that it is desirable that a measure of dental treatment 
should be available to all members of Approved Societies, and 
make proposals for increasing the Central Fund so as to 
enable all Societies to make this provision (App. VI, 22). The 
Joint Committee of Approved Societies remark that ‘‘ the only 
treatment benefit which would seem to justify an effort to secure 
it upon a national basis is probably dental benefit ’ (App. XIV, 
98). The National Conference of Friendly Societies state that 
““ there is a general desire throughout the Societies associated 
with the Conference that at the earliest date dental benefit 
should be made one of the normal benefits under the National 
Insurance Act with a possible restriction of the cost of full 
dentures to fifty per cent > (App. XXVI, 16). The United 
Women's Insurance Society have submitted to us some interesting 
figures and diagrams to illustrate the effect on the benefit fund 
of an adequate provision of dental treatment over a period of 
years (App. XXIV, 22-51), and urge that ** dental benefit should 
take its proper place as part of an ali-embracing medical service.” 
84. We have received professional evidence on this subject 
from the British Dental Association (App. XIX), the British 
Society of Dental Surgeons (App. XX), the Public Dental 
Service Association of Great Britain (App. XXII), the Incor- 
porated Dental Society (App. XXVIII), the Ivory Cross (App. 
T 7VITI), and the Fast of Scotland Dentists’ Panel (App. 
1 XVII) as well as from the British Medical Association (App. 
X OVII). Finally, the official view is that the provision of dental 
treatment as a statutory benefit is most desirable if the money 
can be found. An official witness stated that ‘‘ something like 
three-quarters of the industrial population, probably, are 
suffering from dental defects of one sort or another, and I 
think the experience of those Societies that have provided dental 
treatment as an additional benefit does give ground for hoping 
that systematic dental treatment would lead ultimately to a 
reduction of sickness benefit claims . . . .”’ (Brock, Q. 23,914). 
The general effect of this evidence is to emphasise the value