EAST Lancashire is not alone in suffering from an acute shortage of dentists, as it has been a national problem for some time.

But despite several years of schemes to improve dental services in this area, the situation has not improved. A survey for the Government's performance indicators recently revealed the state of the area's youngsters' teeth was as bad this year as last year.

Local five-year-olds had an average of 2.6 teeth decayed, filled or missing, compared with a national average of 1.4, leading health bosses to repeat their calls for fluoride to be put into the water, which they believe could improve children's teeth.

But the problem has also affected adults, with many struggling to find a dentist, whether NHS or private.

Locally, just 45 per cent of the population is registered with a dentist, compared with 49 per cent nationally.

Figures in January showed there were 159 dentists in East Lancashire in 82 practices with just 17 practices prepared to take on new NHS cases. That number dwindled to 14 within two months, although the figure is constantly changing.

A spokesman for East Lancashire Health Authority said: "Dentists can decide whether or not to take NHS patients and there is nothing we can do about it. There are major problems for people trying to find a dentist but all we can do is refer them to NHS Direct who will give them a list of dentists taking on new NHS patients."

Nigel Robinson, chief officer with the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Community Health Council, said: "It doesn't surprise me at all to hear there are no dentists taking on new NHS patients in Blackburn. It was inevitable. It is now even difficult to get a private dentist when you ring around and we get a lot of calls about it. We have to refer them all to NHS Direct."

Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson has been campaigning for more to be done and has raised the issue in the House of Commons, prompting a leading government expert to visit the area.

One problem health bosses face is attracting dentists to the area if they do not train locally, while the shortage has been heightened by practices going private, claiming demand and a lack of cash was affecting their ability to treat patients.

Many trainee dentists look at an area with poor dental health, poor wages and a high demand for treatment and often seek work elsewhere.

It is easy to see why -- but that doesn't help the rest of us.

MP Peter Pike highlighted the shortage in his constituency when he told Health Secretary Alan Milburn: "It is unacceptable to be offered a dentist in Barnoldswick, Colne or Accrington for those living in Burnley."

In January Mrs Anderson raised in Parliament the case of a man was forced to walk a round trip of 14 miles just to receive treatment on Boxing Day

Mrs Anderson said although she knows fluoridation is controversial, if people aren't going to dentists then some kind of preventative treatment must be introduced.

She also pressed for a dental school to be opened in the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority area.

Vote NOW...click here.