Many South West dentists have left the NHS in the last year

An extra �368m and an extra 1,000 dentists recruited by October 2005 have been promised by the government.

It has described the shake up as "the biggest reform since the service began in 1948", but not all dentists are saying they are convinced.

Some have said that though they welcome reform, there will still not be enough people to carry out any NHS work.

The 'drill-and-fill treadmill' is not what they want to see Rosie Winterton, health minister

In the South West, there have been problem for patients wanting an NHS dentist for some time.

In Exeter alone, 10 dentists have left the NHS in the last 12 months.

About 6,100 fewer children are registered with an NHS dentist in Cornwall than five years ago.

Practice managers say they regret the choice but blame low NHS fees forcing them to take on large numbers of patients and rush them through in order to make a living.

However, this is cold comfort for patients who are being told they will have to go private.

One woman said in Exeter said: "I don't understand why all of them are changing while people are still paying national insurance."

A man, also in Devon, said: "Dental care is part of our health, so it should come under the health service."

Actual staff

In future, the government wants NHS dentists to be funded locally. Dentist John Evans, who works in Torrington, north Devon, is already trialling this system as part of a pilot project.

But he said he believed unless adequate numbers of actual staff could be found, the government's plans just could not work.

Health minister Rosie Winterton said: "What dentists have told us is that it is not the amount they are paid, but the way they are paid.

"The 'drill-and-fill treadmill' is not what they want to see. In the changes we are announcing, we are addressing all those problems and it reflects a lot more of how people work in the private sector."

But John Evans said: "Unless they can find significant numbers of dentists to actually do the work, perhaps by enticing people out of retirement, etc, then changing that system of payments will only have a minimum amount of effect."

The British Dental Association said any moves to fight the decay in NHS dentistry must be welcomed.