Cllr Andy Morgan, Conservative Health Spokesman for Bolton, today renewed calls for action from the Primary Care Trust to increase the amount of placements they fund for NHS dental care.

Cllr Morgan said "This morning I contacted 22 dental practices and not one of them said they had vacancies for NHS funded clients and only 3 offered to add me to their waiting lists.  This is a completely unacceptable state of affairs.  It looks like if you have the ability to pay to go private then you will have no problem". 

It has emerged that more and more people find themselves denied NHS dental care despite reforms in the service ordered by the Government.  According to a British Dental Association poll of 394 dentists, the majority do not believe the reforms have proved to be a success. And Citizens Advice have claimed that two million patients did not have access to an NHS dentist, and have been forced to go private, join waiting lists, and abandon prospects of securing treatment.

Figures show that up to 1.4 million fewer people have an NHS dentist than last year.

Cllr Morgan added “I expressed my concerns over a year ago with regards the new dental contract and asked to be kept up to date with regards the availability of Dental places in Bolton.  To date I have heard nothing further."

"The PCT seem somewhat reluctant to pursue this issue, but while we still have constituents in Bolton who cannot access the dental service I will not let this issue drop.  I will ask asking for a report to be brought to the Health Committee as soon as possible."