Burnham - More NHS Dentists needed for Wales

1.00.00pm GMT Fri 4th Mar 2005

Eleanor Burnham AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson for North Wales has questioned Health Minister, Dr. Brian Gibbon, over access to NHS dentists in North Wales in the Assembly today.

Despite Labour announcing a 17% increase in dental training places in Wales last August, the situation for people of Wales has got worse and worse as more dentists are forced to turn private and there is increasing demand on those who remain serving NHS patients.

Ms. Burnham said: "Despite the government's announcements, the reality of the situation is that there are not enough dentists to treat people. The situation is particularly acute in North Wales, where there is just one dental practice accepting new NHS patients. It is a completely unfair situation as it forces people to travel miles to see a dentist, often when they are in pain, or the other alternative is to go private, which is extremely costly for people.

"Even though we have been recently told that there will be an increase in the number of dentists training in Wales, there are still too few to meet demands. The 17% increase in training places will produce just 9 more dentists a year, which will take five years to come through anyway. And when these new dentists come through what's to say they won't work in the private sector, or go over the border to work. When you consider that far more than 9 dentists in Wales are retiring each year the situation looks dismal.

Diwedd/Ends.