THE LOSS of NHS dental services provided by Holsworthy Dental Centre has been met with dismay locally.

Patients have been given options between assistance to find other services or join as a private patient.

Cllr Nigel Kenneally, the mayor of Holsworthy said: “It is incredibly disappointing news, NHS dentistry country wide is in a spiralling decline. It's something I hope the new government will sort, but I don't hold out much hope.

“A whole generation of children in Holsworthy will be growing up without access to a NHS dentist. A situation that is simply not good enough. We should be striving to make life better for the generations that follow us, not worse.”

Dr Catherine Tannahill, a spokesperson for Holsworthy Dental Centre, said: “Historically, Holsworthy Dental Centre has been able to offer both NHS and private services to its patent base.

“The practice has recently informed a number of its NHS patients of the decision to cease providing NHS services to them, following the resignations of two of our NHS Dentists, and despite our best efforts, we have not been able to recruit replacements.

“We appreciate that this could cause some difficulties with the need to travel further for appointments due to a shortage of NHS dental practices in the local area.

“As a profession, we currently face an unprecedented situation nationwide with a shortage in supply of NHS-providing dentists.

“We have explored all options available to us to be able to continue to provide NHS services from this practice but, regrettably, these have now all been exhausted.

“Those patients affected have received information about the changes and the possibility of finding another practice taking NHS patients or joining us as a private patient with the option of a monthly payment plan, and reduced fees for those existing patients moving to private dentistry at Holsworthy Dental Centre.”