Dental surgery to close (From Western Telegraph)

Dental surgery to close

NEYLAND'S only dentist closed his doors for the last time on Friday.

Anthony Miles retired after running the Neyland Dental Surgery for 14 years, and serving as an NHS dentist for 36 years.

The Pembrokeshire-born man, who started his career in Fishguard, is looking forward to sailing, travelling and exploring without having to be back for Monday morning.

But what should be a happy occasion has been marred by the lack of a successor.

Despite extensive efforts to sell the business on to another dentist, the surgery is having to close.

"It is not really a happy retirement," said Mr Miles, who has had to make his three staff redundant.

"And then there are the 2,000 plus patients that have been coming to me for years," he said.

Two of his staff have found alternative employment, but finding a new dentist may prove more difficult for his patients.

Mr Miles puts the lack of interest down to a national shortage of dentists and the relative remoteness of the area.

He even offered to give the practice away to any dentist willing to buy the premises.

"I received 12 responses, but when they heard where it was they lost interest," he said. Neyland Mayor Councillor Simon Hancock wished the dentist a long and happy retirement.

He described Mr Miles as very hard-working and said his professional and excellent service would be missed.

He said: "It is very, very sad to lose this important facility in a growing community like Neyland."

The town council is currently in discussions with the minister.

Attracting health professionals to the town is not a new problem.

The local GP practice is currently under the direct management of the Local Health Board because a replacement doctor could not be found.