MORE than 1,200 Blackpool schoolchildren are without an NHS dentist.
The shocking figure was revealed today as one leading councillor claimed the local dental service was no better than one offered in a "Third World" country.
New statistics – released to The Gazette – show 4,507 Blackpool residents are on a waiting list to register with an NHS dentist.
Of that figure, 1,268 are children under the age of 16.
Health bosses defended their performance and said the issue cou
ld be alleviated if patients who did have NHS dentists did not miss appointments.
They said thousands of hours of valuable treatment time was wasted by no-shows.
But former Blackpool mayor Maxine Callow has accused Blackpool Primary Care Trust (PCT) of providing a poor service.
The Norbreck ward councillor said: "Dental care, especially for children, is terribly important and the system we have here in Blackpool is failing the
people.
"It's imperative children get the preventative care they need before they are put off going to dentists for life.
"Something needs to be done to change this situation, which is something you would expect to see in a Third World country not here in Blackpool."
Coun Callow, who probed the matter after her own NHS dentist went private and struggled to find a new one, will be raising her concerns at Blackpool Council's health overview and scrutiny committee next week.
The Blackpool figures come just weeks after a national survey showed three out of four NHS dentists were not taking on new patients.
It has been claimed Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), which have been given the responsibility for dental care, were not making as much as expected in patient fees, meaning they are not able to pass sufficient funds back to dentists.
Blackpool PCT today hit back at Coun Callow and said it was doing all it could to reduce its waiting list.
A spokeswoman said: "Coun Callow is fully aware of the trust's determination and commitment to improving the dental situation in Blackpool.
"When the Dental Access Database was established in January 2005, there were 12,860 people on it.
"Since then, we have placed 8,353 with a dental practice and the hard work continues to allocate those remaining to a dentist as quickly as possible.
"However, one of the greatest problems we face is that 50 per cent of patients provided with an appointment fail to turn up.
Patients who are not registered with a regular dentist can call Blackpool's Dental Access Helpline on (01253) 301600.
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