NEW NHS dentists are being recruited to curb a dental care crisis in Malvern.

This week 5,000 NHS patients at Buckingham House surgery were told they needed to join a private dental plan or go elsewhere. The nearest surgery now accepting NHS patients is in Droitwich, 20 miles away.

After the Graham Road surgery made its announcement, plans to provide additional NHS dental care in Malvern are now being rushed through by the South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Yesterday the PCT was interviewing four overseas dentists with a view to appointing two to work in the town.

Alan McMichaels, consultant in dental public health for the PCT, said the dentists could acquire and expand an existing surgery, or open a new practice.

"I'd like to hope that if this all comes to pass, we're talking about a practice that could be the size of the one in Graham Road," he said. "We're not short of money to be able to help this thing happen. I'm having discussions with a dentist about us giving him a significant grant if he comes in."

Mr McMichaels said he hoped NHS dental services would be available here within a year.

He said: "We're doing what we would have done anyway, but we would have liked to have done it in a much more controlled way.

"I wish the practice had given us more warning about its plans. Its decision took us completely by surprise. We didn't know anything until patients began phoning us."

Buckingham House said it made the decision to go wholly private because of the rising cost of materials.

It says increases have not been equalled by NHS fees and the only way it can remain viable is by funding the practice through the Denplan Care scheme. For most adults this would cost between £14 and 17 a month. A private check-up costs around £60.