Crisis meeting over lack of NHS dentists (From Western Telegraph)

Crisis meeting over lack of NHS dentists

Haverfordwest Town Council is to invite representatives of all the county's town and community councils to a meeting, in an attempt to address the crisis in free dental provision in Pembrokeshire.

Councillor Peter Stock informed the chamber, at their latest meeting last week, that a new NHS practice would be opening in the town at an existing surgery next month, and added that another was due to open in Tenby in the near future.

However, councillors felt the current situation in Haverfordwest was so serious, one additional dentist would make little impact on the town's waiting lists.

Members felt the only way forward would be to apply pressure to the Assembly government and the British Dental Society, in an attempt to get them to address the problem.

Former mayor, Councillor Roy Thomas said: "We must keep putting the pressure on and snapping at their heels."

A National Assembly spokesman said the £3.5 million already spent on the Welsh dental initiative to attract more NHS dentists to Wales, was already improving the situation and new practices had opened in Pembroke Dock, St Clears, Milford Haven and Saundersfoot.