Health minister wants to attract younger dentists

Waiting lists for dental treatment across the country have soared in recent years, but Health Minister Jane Hutt says the extra money will be used to bring in reforms.

This cash boost is in addition to the on-going Welsh Dental Initiative aimed at attracting more dentists and younger practitioners to Wales.

Ms Hutt also announced there will be a new contract for NHS dentists in Wales from April 2005.

"I am committed to NHS dentistry and to the reform of dental services across Wales," said Ms Hutt.

"The difficulties in finding an NHS dentist in some areas of the country are well-documented.

"I want patients, wherever they live, to have easier access to a modernised NHS dental service and reform of the current system is vital," she added.

In March it was announced the last two NHS dental practices in Llanelli were to become private practices - health service watchdogs warned it would add to the shortage of NHS practices in west Wales.

More than 600 people queued to get on a dentist's list at Carmarthen

The extent of the shortage of dentists in rural Wales became evident in July 2003, when 600 people queued to take up NHS places on offer at a new practice in Carmarthen.

In January, a recruitment team from Pembrokeshire's local health boards visited job fairs in London to try to find more dentists.

To tackle the problems throughout the country and to encourage reform, the money will be available over a three-year period.

The �5.3m will be used to assist Local Health Boards, dental committees and dentists to prepare for the contract changes.

The allowance for vocational trainers will rise from �7,476 to �9,132 per year and the allowance for NHS vocational dental practitioners will rise from �24, 972 to �27,840 per year.

With the introduction of the new dental contract in April 2005, it is expected the local health boards will take control of the �75m dental services budget from the assembly.