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Finding a dentist not a problem here

Access to NHS dentists in North East England is the best in the country – despite claims to the contrary by unscrupulous salesmen.

Last year, salesmen were going door to door in Hebburn peddling private dental policies. Among the claims they made was that people on working tax credit were not covered for dental treatment on the National Health Service. And on one occasion a salesman warned a resident – wrongly – that there would be no NHS dentists in South Tyneside in the future.

Health chiefs have put the record straight and are urging residents to contact trading standards if approached by a seller making any such claim.

A new report reveals that access to NHS dentists in North East England is the best in the country.

A study by the Information Centre found 61 per cent of adults in the region had visited a dentist in the last two years, compared with 52 per cent nationwide.

It also found that 59.5 per cent of adults and 73.9 per cent of children in the region had seen an NHS dentist in the 24 months to July 2007.

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