Nick Ainger MP, Labour Member of Parliament for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, has welcomed news that Pembrokeshire is to have six more NHS dentists. Speaking from his Westminster office, he said: "The shortage of NHS dentists in Pembrokeshire is ending. Pembrokeshire Local Health Board has confirmed to me that it has just given contracts to three companies to treat up to 14,000 dental patients and provide dental care for residents in nursing and care homes." The contracts are funded by cash from the Welsh Assembly Government directed at areas where there is a shortage of dentists offering NHS treatment. The news follows the opening of the Whitland super surgery in July last year that is already treating 6,000 NHS patients from Pembrokeshire. When the new surgeries open, an extra 20,000 Pembrokeshire patients will be able to get NHS dental care compared with this time last year. The Local Health Board has about 7,000 patients registered as wanting NHS treatment, so the new dentists will be able to take on those patients and provide for up to another 7,000 who haven't yet registered with the Local Health Board. The companies involved are currently looking for premises which will be accessible to the majority of the county's population. Nick Ainger added: "This is great news for Pembrokeshire. For too long the shortage of NHS dentists has caused very real problems for patients of all ages across Pembrokeshire. "Pembrokeshire people now have a choice that has been available in most parts of Wales but denied to Pembrokeshire in the last few years: private treatment or NHS care." "I hope that those Pembrokeshire dentists who have chosen to end NHS care and to only treat private patients will now think again and begin offering NHS care again. That will ensure every patient who wants NHS care has access to it. "I urge everyone who wants to register for NHS treatment to contact the Local Health Board on 01437 771257 if they have not already done so."
