Ref. 29369-19THE health of Swindon children's teeth is under threat because dentists can no longer afford to treat them on the NHS.

Dentist Bruce Mayhew is one of many dentists who is stopping treating children on the NHS because of mounting paperwork and inadequate funding.

The Bruce Mayhew Dental Practice, in Covingham Square, has been looking after children's teeth on the NHS for 40 years.

But from May 1 around 1,000 children on his books will have to pay for private treatment.

Mr Mayhew, who has been a dentist for 44 years, said: "I love treating children. But all the paperwork and bureaucracy has become too much."

Besides the burden of red tape, he claims that Government funding provided for NHS patients doesn't cover the costs of his work.

Mr Mayhew said: "I would like to treat everyone free on the NHS.

"But the funding we are given is a complete joke. Sometimes it only covers 10 per cent of the cost of treatment given."

Gina Musty, 45, has taken her children, Amelia, 17, and twins Angela and Amanda, 12, to the practice for more than 10 years.

She said: "It is now going to cost £20 for a check-up for the first child and £10 for any others. Many families cannot afford this.

"I feel sorry for the dentists because they are in an impossible situation."

Swindon is suffering from a shortage of NHS dentists, with only a fraction taking on new child patients.

Of the 30 dental practices in Swindon which have NHS patients on their books, fewer than a third have spaces for more children.

At present dentists receive funding for NHS treatment from the Dental Practice Board, based in Eastbourne.

Next year there are proposals to transfer this funding framework to local health authorities.

Dentist Patrick Holmes, spokesman for the British Dental Association for the North Wiltshire area, fears for the future of local children's teeth.

He works at Sevenfields Dental Health Centre, in Penhill, which stopped taking on new child patients on the NHS three years ago.

He said: "It's a very worrying situation and children's teeth will suffer.

"The Government is ducking responsibility and not providing grass roots funding. It's a disgrace."

But Pauline Macdonald, spokeswoman for the Swindon Primary Care Trust, is hopeful for the future.

She said: "Dentists can choose which sector of care they work in and increasingly many are choosing to work in the private sector.

"But we do still have several dentists in Swindon registering children in the NHS.

"We are also optimistic that the new commissioning framework, to be introduced in April next year, will enable us to persuade dentists to take on more NHS patients."

Guide to NHS practices

Practices currently taking on child NHS patients in Swindon are:

Ambience Dental Practice, in Wade House, Queen Street

Abbey Meads Dental Practice, in the Village Centre

JM Jacob, Faringdon Road

Clyde House Dental Practice, Bath Road

Euro Dental Practice, Bath Road

Gorse Hill Dental Practice, Cricklade Road

Emlyn Square Dental Practice, Emlyn Square

Gorse Hill Dental Practice, Cricklade Road

There are also two NHS dental access centres, in Carfax Street and the West Swindon Health Centre, which are open to anyone from the Swindon area who is not registered with a dentist. Priority is given to emergency treatment.

Victoria Tagg