FAMILIES have been rushing to have their names registered now a much-needed NHS dentist has been given the green light to move into a former Worcester grocer's shop.

The unit in Gresham Road, Dines Green, has been empty for around a year.

Dr John Bue applied to Worcester City Council to turn the unit into a dentist's surgery and residents in Dines Green had to be consulted before it was approved at the last city council planning meeting.

Councillor Margaret Layland, who works in DG Pharmacy, Dines Green, said customers often came into the chemist with toothache seeking advice because they couldn't afford private treatment.

She said she had been inundated with phone calls from people asking for their names to be put on the dentist's list, after an article about the proposed practice in the Evening News last month.

"The community will be really pleased to know there's an NHS dentist in Dines Green," said Coun Layland. "People will be overjoyed."

"Not only will it benefit Dines Green residents, but residents who live in outlying villages will benefit, too.

"It will save people who live in villages such as Hallow driving over the river into the city and adding to congestion.

"I go into St John's every day and I've been overwhelmed with people saying: 'When are we going to have a dentist in Dines Green?'"

Alan McMichael, consultant in dental public health for Worcestershire Health Authority, said it was good news for the city, but would not be enough.

"We need more than one new NHS dental surgery to cope with demand," he said.

"It will be especially difficult for people living in the north side of the city to get to Dines Green."