At last, Blair admits he broke pledge on dentists

The prime minister promised in 1999 that everyone would have an NHS dentist no matter where they lived within two years.

Eight years later, less than a half of the adult population is registered - a lower figure than when Labour took office.

Yet Mr Blair has never conceded that he had broken its promise to the electorate.

However, he was directly challenged at prime minister's question time by Liberal Democrat MP Mark Cheadle, who asked when he expected the promise to be fulfilled.

He replied: "It is and has been a real problem. I entirely accept that.

"The reason for it is very simple: even though we have increased the number of NHS dentists, we cannot stop dentists going outside the NHS if they wish to do so.

"They are entitled to do that and despite the fact that we are paying far more and hiring far more within the NHS, we have not been able to fulfil that pledge.

"However, the majority of people are actually within their area able to access an NHS dentist if they want to, but that is not 100 per cent - I accept that.

"It will only be dealt with ultimately by increasing still further the number of NHS dentists and that is what we intend to do."

Mr Blair personally promised in September 1999 to deal with the problem of disappearing dentists. He told the Labour conference that "everyone within two years will be able once again to see an NHS dentist, just by phoning NHS".

But the deadline passed without any improvement. In 2004, the extent of the crisis became apparent when more than 300 people in Scarborough famously queued from dawn to register with a newly-opened Dutch dentist.

Last month a survey by Citizens Advice found that around two million people in England who would like access to NHS dentistry are unable to do so.

Two thirds of them simply go without treatment rather than going private if they cannot find an NHS dentist.

Critics say the new dental contract, which came into force last year, has made the situation worse because dentists are leaving the NHS, angry at a new payment scheme they say does not effectively recompense them for work they do.

And two months ago it emerged that many dentists were turning patients away because they performed all the treatments they were contracted to provide too early in the financial year.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said: "Labour are still in denial at the scale of the problem. It is not just that less than 100 per cent of people can't access NHS dentistry. The reality is that in many places across the country, people can barely access and NHS dentist at all.

"In the last year since the new contract, things have got worse not better. We are heading towards a two-tier dentistry unless policies change."

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Sandra Gidley said: "The prime minister cannot shirk responsibility for the exodus of dentists from NHS work. It is very much his fault.

"It was his ill-thought out and rushed dental reforms which have caused so many dentists to opt out of the NHS and which left many dentists with no money to carry out NHS work just a few months ago.

"Rather than yet more empty promises, we need real action. The government must start listening to dentists' concerns and introduce more flexibility into the system, so that dentists have the resources to focus on prevention and getting treatment to groups currently missing out on dental care."

A spokeswoman for the Health Department said: "We are turning the corner in improving access to dentistry. However, in some cases, we accept that the change may not be happening as quickly as we would like.

"As the new arrangements settle down, there is clear evidence that the reforms are beginning to improve access."