NHS dentistry across Wharfedale and Aireborough is in crisis and the situation is about to get worse.

There are currently 42 NHS dental practices serving the North West Leeds area, which has a population of 2.5 million and includes Bramhope, Otley, Guiseley, Yeadon, Rawdon and Horsforth.

But the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (PPI) for North West Leeds is warning there are hardly any left who will accept new NHS patients.

And with a deadline for the new national contract between the Government and dental practices looming, the watchdog is predicting that many will follow the likes of Rawdon Dental Practice which has only recently taken the decision --by going private.

PPI Chairman Laurence Wood said: "We don't have that many practices for our population and as far as I know there are no NHS dental practices in our area taking on new patients any more.

"There's already a crisis in that an awful lot of people aren't registered with a dentist, and there will be more now being informed that their dentists are dropping out of the NHS.

"That's because there are significant changes happening to the contracts dentists have with the NHS in terms of the way they're paid and set standards for treatments and so on.

"That's causing quite a lot of dentists to opt out because they think they can make more money by going private, and the deadline for the new contract is only a month or two away.

"Rawdon Dental Practice is pulling out and I expect quite a lot more to do so and to offer their NHS patients private dental facilities instead.

"At the moment Leeds NW Primary Care Trust (PCT) can't identify alternatives so there will be quite a lot of patients without dental services."

In fact from April 1 the budget for NHS dentistry in the area will go to the PCT, which will also have responsibility for ensuring people have access to NHS services.

A PCT spokeswoman said: "It's a very fluid situation last Friday there were NHS dentists taking new patients but I would have to check again today.

"The situation is complicated because of the new national contract coming into play on April 1. Dentists have until the end of February to decide if they want to go with the new contract or go private, some are still thinking about it.

"We will have the budget from April and the responsibility will come to us to provide the services."

That could mean the PCT having to create its own, dedicated NHS dental practices but the trust says nothing has been decided yet.

"All options are being explored," said the spokeswoman, "and it's a pan-Leeds issue."

Mr Wood fears that whatever is done it won't plug the gap quickly enough.

He said: "It won't be easy, it could take 6 months or 6 years. And the lack of NHS dentists will particularly hit minority groups and the poorer members of the population."

Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland, a BDA Parliamentary Panel member, said: "There is real concern about the new NHS dental contracts.

"It is clear from speaking to both dentists and patients that far from improving NHS dentistry, the new system will actually push more dentists out of the NHS and make it harder still for people to find a local NHS dentist.

"To make matters worse, the Government just doesn't seem to be listening to dentists' very real concerns and that is a recipe for disaster."

A spokeswoman for the Leeds North West Primary Care Trust said: "We would like to reassure people in North West Leeds that they will have access to NHS dentists from April 1 when new, nationally agreed contracts will be introduced.

"From the beginning of April the budget for the provision of NHS dental services will pass directly to PCTs.

"This will give Leeds North West PCT greater control over how this money is spent which in turn will help us ensure that local people continue to have access to appropriate NHS dental care.

"Dentists in our area are contracted to provide services to the NHS rather than being directly employed by the health service. They are therefore free to decide to only treat private patients at any time.

"Dentists in North West Leeds have provided an excellent service to NHS patients for many years and we hope that the majority will continue to do so."