AN MP today welcomed a government promise to boost the number of salaried and trainee dentists in the area.

The Rossendale and Darwen Labour backbencher raised the question of the declining availability of NHS dentistry in her constituency and neighbouring areas.

She highlighted the case of David Walsh from Naze Court, Newchurch who had to walk from his home to Rochdale on Boxing Day to receive treatment for an erupting abscess.

Health Minister Hazel Blears promised action to try to tackle the problem not just in Rossendale but throughout East Lancashire.

And she said that she wanted to ensure that in future no one had to undergo such a Christmas trek again.

She acknowledged problems across East Lancashire and said the worse situation occurred in Rossendale, Burnley and Pendle.

Under a special scheme seven trainee dentists had been placed in East Lancashire NHS practices in order to improve provision and in the hope they may decide to set up permanently in the area.

She responded to a request for more salaried dentists -- under the personal dental service pilot scheme by saying three such projects had been approved in Rossendale, Burnley and Pendle at a cost of £360,000 in October last year following a similar approval in Blackburn.

Ms Blears said: "The East Lancs Health Authority and the regional office will be discussing with my officials the possibility of expanding the personal dental service pilot scheme in Rossendale."

Although the majority of dental practitioners were self employed contractors rather than centrally salaried employees, some £70,000 extra money had enabled another 11,000 patients to be registered with an NHS dentist in East Lancashire, 7,640 of them from Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

She promised extra money to continue to tackle the problems.

But Ms Blears rejected Mrs Anderson's call to fluoridate water saying despite its proven success in tackling dental health and oral health disease it remained controversial.

The situation would be reviewed in the spring.

The minister highlighted that East Lancashire was one of the areas involved in the 'Brushing for Life' scheme providing families with young children a toothbrush, fluoridated toothpaste and oral hygiene information.

Mrs Anderson said: "I was very pleased with the minister's response. She promised an expansion of salaried dentists in Rossendale and moves to persuade more young trainee dentists to come to the area.

"This is good news which I hope will lead to an improvement in NHS dentistry in East Lancashire and the sort of problems I highlighted in yesterday's debate."