THE number of people with access to an NHS dentist has fallen in every Worcestershire constituency since 1997, according to detailed Government figures.

Only 281,401 people in the county were registered with a state dentist in the last year - down more than 50,000 from 335,596 eight years ago.

The data was obtained by the Conservatives in February, but not released by the party until this week.

The decline in NHS dentistry is especially embarrassing for the Government because Tony Blair promised in 1999 that nobody would have to go private after 2001.

The Tories yesterday released the first detailed breakdown of the decline in every constituency, which showed that the number of people with an NHS dentist had risen in only 94 of the 659 Parliamentary constituencies.

Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "The lack of local NHS dentistry is symptomatic of what has happened across the country.

"We have fewer dentists per head than France, Greece, the Czech Republic and Poland."

Mr Lansley said the Tories would encourage dentists back to the NHS by paying them per patient, rather than per item of treatment.

But Labour hit back by blaming the dentistry shortage on the last Tory administration.

Health Minister Rosie Winterton said: "We are recruiting 1,000 extra NHS dentists by the end of this year because we realise that some people find it hard to register with an NHS dentist.

"We have expanded training for dentistry in this country and encouraged Polish dentists to come here.

"The Tories, far from restoring NHS dentistry, will destroy it. They plan to cut dentistry training just like they did in

the 1990s."

"Our new dentistry contract cuts red tape and en-courages dentists to stay in the NHS."

We'd like to hear from people about their experiences of NHS dentists. Contact health reporter Rebecca Fisher on 01905 742260 or e-mail her at: rf@thisisworcester.co.uk