DENTAL services are "unable to cope" with current demand in Wrexham and Flintshire according to a Member of the Senedd. 

Last week, the Leader reported that Dant Y Coed dental practice was to hand back its NHS contract after it became "unworkable". 

With 12,000 patients set to be affected, there is a likelihood that other NHS dentists in Wrexham may need to take on more patients, despite being at capacity. 

Last year, Ruabon Road dental practice cut 25% of their NHS capacity after being left with "no alternative". 

Meanwhile a number of dentists in Wrexham and Flintshire are not currently taking on NHS patients due to not having capacity. 

Now, Sam Rowlands MS has called on Welsh Government to install a "long-term plan" in a bid to address the issues being faced. 

Mr Rowlands said: “It’s clear that dental services in Wrexham and Flintshire aren’t good enough, and sadly people in the area are suffering needlessly.

“That’s down to the Labour-run Welsh Government’s mismanagement and chronic underfunding of health services, which has led to a system which is unable to cope.

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“Labour Ministers in Cardiff need a long-term plan for turning around dental services, which includes ensuring Wales can recruit and retain quality health professionals.”

A Welsh Government Spokesperson said: “We are working to recruit and retain more dentists in Wales. This includes a new scheme, run by Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW), which offers extra support for trainees in areas of Wales where it has been difficult to recruit new dentists.

“We are committed to reform of the national dental contract to make it fairer for patients and attractive for dentists to provide NHS dental services. As a result of our reforms to date, over 500,000 new patients have gained access to an NHS dentist since April 2022 for routine and urgent care”.