In 2003, three out of five people could not get an NHS dentist

The survey of people in county and unitary authority areas in the South West, initiated by Cornwall County Council, spoke to 2,000 people.

It found 200,000 people in Cornwall, out of a total of about 590,000, are not registered with a dentist.

It also found that about 10% of children were also not registered with a either a private or NHS dentist.

Future troubles

The cost of private care is the major reason for many people for going without treatment.

The survey also showed that, in 2003, three out of every five people who tried were unable to register with an NHS dentist.

Dentists said that, for children, not getting treatment was storing up trouble for the future.

One dentist, Jeremy Preston said: "If baby teeth decay before anticipated, a log-jam can be created underneath.

"You're going to end up with complicated and crowded mouths which are going to be a lot more expensive to sort out."

Cornwall's education service is working to increase the number of free dental checks in schools. From next year, all children will be checked unless their parents opt out.

But there are fears that, for children not registered with a dentist, a single check will not be enough.

Thirty-one dentists will benefit

The government defended its record. In a statement, Health Secretary John Reid said they were making the biggest investment in dentistry since 1948.

He said: "We are investing an extra �368m in NHS dentistry and by next October recruiting 1,000 more NHS dentists who can treat an extra two million people."

But the words do not soothe the pain for Kenneth Pilsworth, from St Austell.

His dentist moved on and the first he heard that there was a problem came in a letter telling him to find another dentist or he would not be able to get even emergency NHS treatment. He has since had to go private.

He said: "They go on to all the fancy stuff about pouring money into it, but it's all rubbish to me down here. I just want a local dentist."

North Cornwall MP Paul Tyler said: "This is a problem that has been getting worse for 10 years.

"There have been government promises before that have not been kept. It's serious for young people and a problem that will live with us for many years to come."