Three are being brought in as part of an NHS move to ease the chronic shortage of dentists in some parts of the country.

The three will earn about �50,000 a year and are due to start work in the county in the New Year.

Two will work in West Cumbria and the other in the east of the county.

A spokeswoman for North Cumbria NHS said: "We have been selected to participate in the Department of Health's initiative to recruit dentists from abroad and have appointed three dentists from Poland as part of the first wave.

"The recruitment drive is part of the government's plan to tackle the national shortage of trained dentists in the UK."

Under Department of Health rules they must also have a good command of English.