Up to 26,000 NHS dental places will be offered in Wales

Hopeful patients reported no queues two hours after registration was opened in Brecon, in contrast with long waits in Port Talbot and Newtown last week.

Denticare is offering 4,400 NHS dental places in the Brecon area.

A spokesman for the company said it was difficult to judge demand, but said it would have figures by the end of the day.

Denticare hopes to provide up to 26,000 NHS places, with five surgeries planned in Newtown, Lampeter, Port Talbot, Brecon and Killay.

The firm is getting around �40,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government for each practice under a programme to increase the number of dentists.

'Surprise'

Denticare is taking over some existing practices, but will increase the number of NHS patients.

Registration for the Brecon practice started at the George Hotel in Brecon on Monday.

Davina Price, from Brecon, who was there early in the morning, said she had been told to return at 1800 GMT with her registration forms.

No queues were reported at the George Hotel in Brecon

She told the BBC News website: "I was very surprised because I thought there would be a long queue, but there was hardly anyone in the registration room."

Derek Meacham, from Brecon, also said he was surprised so few people had turned up.

"When I was registering there was only about 12 other people there," he said.

Denticare said it planned to set a "high standard" for NHS dental surgeries with "quality clinical surroundings" for the public.

A spokesman said: "We have been working very closely with the local health boards and are grateful for their support and forward-thinking approach.

"We want to be as fair as possible to everyone who should rightfully be eligible to register - if demand outpaces the number of places available there will be a waiting list."

The company said it would also offer employment opportunities for practice nurses and support staff from the local community.