PEOPLE living in north Swindon are being denied NHS dental treatment, new figures show.

The British Dental Association warns the industry is in decay and says the situation is likely to get worse.

Since 1997, nearly 2,500 extra south Swindon residents have been able to register with NHS dentists a rise of four per cent.

But it seems to have been at the cost of those living in north Swindon wards, like Pinehurst and Penhill two of the town's most deprived areas.

Last year only 25,182 residents there were on the books of NHS dentists down 19 per cent from 30,944 eight years ago.

Most have no choice but to fork out for expensive treatment at private practices, says Patrick Holmes, Swindon spokesman for the BDA.

He says dentists feel bad about the situation but he insists their hands are tied.

"If I went back to NHS dentistry I would be declared bankrupt very quickly it really is soul-destroying," he said.

He said dentists in Swindon feel badly let down.

In 1999 Tony Blair promised that nobody would have to go private after 2001.

Earlier this year the Prime Minister admitted the pledge had not been fulfilled.

But he said there were long-term issues which needed to be addressed.

The Conservatives are using the issue to destabilise Mr Blair's election campaign.

They released detailed breakdowns of the decline of NHS dental patients in all 659 Parliamentary constituencies.

Only 94 constituencies had recorded an increase in the number of NHS patients.

Mr Holmes, of Sevenfields Dental Practice, in Penhill Drive, said lack of funding is to blame.

"The Government will give us steady funding but they will then expect us to rush jobs so we can see more patients," he said.

"This is completely unacceptable and the British Dental Association has walked away from discussions in the past because of this."

At the centre of the row is the new dentistry contract, which is expected in the autumn.

The Government says it will give NHS dentists about 10 per cent more time to see each patient but the BDA claims that this is not enough.

"A filling might take a dentist 10 minutes," said Mr Holmes.

"On top of that we have been told we must fully explain the procedure and new treatments.

"In reality, we would have an extra minute. That's nowhere near enough time."

Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "Since Mr Blair was first elected, the proportion of adults receiving NHS dentistry has slumped by a

quarter.

"We have fewer dentists per head than France, Greece, the Czech Republic and Poland."

Health Minister Rosie Winterton, who visited Swindon health centres before Christmas, hit back at the claims .

She said by the end of the year the country would have 1,000 extra dentists.

Teeth truths

People registered with an NHS dentist:

South Swindon Constituency

1997: 62,790

2004: 65,263 up by four per cent

North Swindon Constituency

1997: 30,944

2004: 25,182 down by 19 per cent

Kevin Shoesmith