141,000 shun NHS dentists; CONTRACTS: Huge rise in people pulling out of dental care.

Byline: Alison Dayani

A STAGGERING 141,000 Midland people have turned their back on an NHS dentist since the controversial new dental contract shook up the system three years ago, latest figures reveal.

The shock drop in numbers along with a surge in tooth extractions have raised concerns that the region will return to a pre-war era when most people had dentures.

Department of Health statistics show that in the 18 months following the introduction of the contract in April 2006, Birmingham NHS dentists saw 66,000 fewer people, a 19,000 reduction in Worcestershire and Solihull dentists' numbers were 13,000 down.

Numbers of patients dropped by 11,000 in Warwickshire, 9,000 in Dudley, 6,000 in Sandwell, 10,000 in Wolverhampton and 7,000 less in Walsall.

Coun Deirdre Alden, chairwoman of Birmingham's health scrutiny committee, said: "This sounds like we are stocking up problems for the future.

"Our parents' generation had dentures and since then greater care has been taken over teeth, but we will see a return to those old days." Eddie Crouch, secretary of Birmingham Local Dental Committee, said complex treatments to save teeth had dropped but tooth extractions had risen with queues at Birmingham Dental Hospital, where treatment is free, at their worst.

Mr Crouch believes the new price brackets for all treatments made it expensive for more detailed treatment, with a patient paying pounds 45.60 for a tooth to be taken out but pounds 198 for crowns and bridges.

"This contract has taken us back a generation," said Mr Crouch. "Dental Hospital bookings are the worst they have ever been. This contract has too many simplifications. There are 400 types of treatment which are now in four price bands." Mr Crouch said 10 per cent of Birmingham dentists, which is 40 practitioners, had left the NHS when the new contract came into force.

The contract changed the way dentists were paid with critics saying it was more profitable for a dentist to take out a tooth than try and save it.

Ros Hamburger, dental boss for the region, said there were still a lot of NHS dentists taking on new patients in Birmingham and some were returning to the NHS due to the credit crunch..