Waiting lists for NHS dentists in Wyre and Fylde have reduced by 95 per cent in the last year.

NHS North Lancashire say they have cut the back log of people waiting to access an NHS Dentist from 6,000 people to less than 300 over a 12 month period.

They credit the drop in numbers to new contracts which enabled the primary care trust to work with dentists to increase services.

Ian Cumming, chief executive of NHS North Lancashire, said: “We have been absolutely committed to working with dentists to improve access to dentistry right across North Lancashire and have invested a lot of time and money into making a big impact on dental waiting lists.

“We are delighted with these new figures that show just what a dramatic drop there has been in the number of people who are waiting to register with a dentist in the region.

“We now know that we have structures and measures in place to ensure that we can maintain waiting lists at a very low level.”

NHS North Lancashire has 41 General Dental Practices.

Last week the PCT announced the formal opening of a new facility in to train Lancashire’s dentists of the future in Morecambe.

The facility, located next to Morecambe’s Queen Victoria Hospital, is enabling students of dentistry from the University of Central Lancashire, (UCLan), to undertake their training whilst providing dental services to the local population.

Anyone looking to access an NHS dentist in North Lancashire can able to contact the PCT’s Dental Access Line, on 01253 306378, so that they can be alerted when a vacancy arises at a surgery in their local area.