DENTISTS in East Lancashire could receive the ultimate kick in the teeth from further Government proposals, it was claimed today.

Practitioners have expressed strong fears that Whitehall is planning to further limit the availability of NHS dental treatment from April.

A spokesman for the East Lancashire Local Dental Committee said today that possible plans included reducing NHS treatment to a 'basic core service'.

He said more advanced NHS treatment for individual patients may need to have 'rigorous approval'.

The spokesman: "There are suggestions the Government has more tricks up its sleeve to limit NHS treatment.

"This could be the final nail in the coffin. The Government is privatising by stealth and forcing dentists to move out of NHS treatment.

"They are turning NHS dentistry into a very basic service. The quality and more advanced work will no longer be available on the NHS. "The profession is slowly and quietly being privatised."

The claims come after health chiefs admitted there were many people across East Lancashire who were unable to register with a dentist.

An increasing number of dental practices are refusing to accept new NHS patients as more are forced to go private.

The spokesman said the gradual decline in NHS treatment was down to the Government's seven per cent cut in fees in 1992.

Practices turning their backs on the NHS are also taking part in insurance-based schemes, such as Denplan, where patients pay a monthly premium to cover their routine treatment.

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