Cost blamed for lack of dental patients

11:05am Tuesday 2nd March 2004

A SURVEY has found that more than two-thirds of adults are not registered with NHS dentists.

The major study by Liberal Democrats in Orpington has revealed that thousands of people do not have dental care.

The party is calling it a crisis and warns that many youngsters are now going without regular check ups.

Group leader Councillor Chris Maines said: "The figures in our local survey have been borne out by the answers given to Liberal Democrat parliamentary questions.

"Going to the dentist is an expense that many families now avoid."

He blamed Government policy which has seen dentists moving from NHS to private work to earn higher fees. The declinging number of NHS dental practises has left many reluctant to pay for dental care.

Cllr Maines has said he believes high property costs in the area have discouraged many NHS dentists from opening surgeries.

He said: "There is a shortage of NHS dentists locally and we want the Primary Care Trust to be much more proactive in finding buildings for NHS services.

"As NHS dental cover declines so too is dental health. We seem to be going backwards not forward in this."

The Primary Care Trust was unable to put an exact figure on the number of NHS dentists in the borough.