Seven million patients can't find a dentist on the NHS for two years

More than seven million patients have been unable to see an NHS dentist for almost two years.

Most of those denied access have paid for private care instead, says Citizens Advice.

But almost three million have gone without treatment altogether, claims the charity.

The figure includes thousands of children and is much higher than Government estimates.

The charity is calling today for Primary Care Trusts, the bodies responsible for dentistry in England and Wales, to step up funding to improve care for NHS patients.

It cited the case of a low-income pensioner given emergency dental treatment in a hospital in North Yorkshire then told to get further treatment from one of two local NHS dentists - both of whom have 12-month waiting lists.

The charity's survey of 1,800 people, carried out by Ipsos MORI, found that lack of access was the most common reason for not seeing an NHS dentist, along with not needing treatment.

It was mentioned by one in three of those who had not seen an NHS dentist since April 2006.

Citizens Advice said the findings suggested 7.4million people had tried and failed to see an NHS dentist, with around 4.7million seeking private care instead and 2.7 million going without treatment altogether.

The worst problem areas were the South West and the North West.

Citizens Advice chief executive David Harker said: "These figures show the scale of the lack of access to NHS dentistry.

"People on low incomes are particularly affected as private treatment is just not an option."

A recent report by the Information Centre for Health and Social Care found one in three children are not seeing an NHS dentist.

Only half of adults have seen a dentist in the last two years. Another report claimed people had been forced to pull their own teeth out to save money.

The Commons health select committee is about to start an inquiry into NHS dentistry.

Health Minister Ann Keen said: "Improving access to NHS dentistry is now a national priority for the health service.

"We have made it very clear to PCTs that they must deliver year-on-year improvements.

"To support trusts, we have boosted funding by 11 per cent for 2008/09."

Mr Harker welcomed the 11 per cent rise in funding, but added that it needed "to be carefully targeted" on those areas where patients are experiencing the most acute problems.