A DENTAL chief is still fighting to fill the gap in district provision due to NHS places running out.

The Shuttle/Times & News revealed in August Wyre Forest folk who wanted to register as NHS patients had to travel 10 miles to Droitwich.

County dental head Alan McMichael said he was still striving to land a new NHS practice for the district and negotiations were on-going.

Mr McMichael said it was a problem attracting dentists to the health service because they want higher fees for treating NHS patients.

He has been advertising heavily for dentists to relocate to Worcestershire and offering grants of up to £25,000.

Dentists who have opted out of the NHS and gone private say they cannot provide the high standard of treatment and preventitive care under the NHS.