Access to NHS dentistry is in more of a dire situation now than it was 12 months ago, Montgomeryshire MS Russell George has said.

Statistics from Powys Health board show that last September 4,818 adults and 314 children were waiting for dental care.

Mr George said that many of his constituents are still unable to get an appointment to see an NHS dentist.

He told the cabinet secretary for Health, Eluned Morgan MS in the Senedd on 1 May that the current NHS dentistry contract is not working, a new contact must be agreed, and that the Welsh Government need to make financial packages available to attract experienced dentists to come to rural Wales.

Mr George said: “The position is pretty dire.

“I told the Cabinet Secretary that we need to re-examine the NHS contract, because it’s clearly not working.

“We need a more attractive offer to stop dentists moving out of Wales.

“We also need an offer to attract experienced dentists to come and place themselves in Wales, particularly rural Wales.

“My inbox is full of constituents asking how they can access a local NHS dentist, we seem to be in a worse state than we were 12 months ago.”