A VERWOOD dentist is ceasing the treatment of NHS patients from December 1.

The announcement has come in a letter to patients at Verwood Dental Care – seen by your Salisbury & Avon Gazette – which has a surgery in Ringwood Road.

Outlining the plan, the letter says it will complete any current treatments for NHS patients.

But it then offers them payment plans to continue their treatment at the surgery.

“Providing ourpatients with the highest standard of dental care has always been out priority at Verwood Dental Care,” it said.

“This has become increasingly difficult with the lack of NHS dentists. With careful consideration, we have taken the decision to step away from NHS dentistry.

“From December 1, 2023, we will no longer be offering an NHS service. We will of course complete any NHS work still outstanding.”

READ MORE: NHS dentist going private due to ‘underfunded’ NHS service

It then outlines a payment plan available to patients, and details how others can remain as an ‘independent patient’ and ‘pay per item’.

“You will need to pay our independent fees at each appointment,” it added.

The news comes after the Wincanton Smile Centre surgery last month announced it was set to axe NHS treatments from November 1, due in part to an ‘underfunded’ service.

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are making progress to boost NHS dental services with 23% more courses of treatment, meaning 1.7 million more adults and 800,000 more children received NHS dental care.

“We fund more than £3 billion of NHS dentistry a year, have announced plans to increase dental training places by 40% and last week we launched a consultation to better utilise the skills of dental hygienists and therapists.

“We will shortly set out further measures to improve access and increase the number of NHS dentists through our dental recovery plan.”