A YORK man has hit out at dentists who charge NHS patients fees to join private pay-monthly schemes.

Ian Wilson, 45, was told he would need £1,350 of work on his teeth before he would be eligible to join a Denplan scheme. The price included two fillings, root canal work and four sessions with the hygienist.

Instead, Mr Wilson registered with a different private dentist and spent only £50 on an examination, x-ray and a crown.

Mr Wilson now pays for his treatment as he needs it and says NHS customers might be forced to pay hundreds of pounds as more NHS dentists turned private.

Last week, The Mount Dental Practice announced it would become a private practice from April 8.

He said: "Oral health should be on a par with physical health - I can't see how the two are split in half."

"If someone's got a mouthful of rotten teeth then this is not going to do their stomach any good either.

"I've looked after my teeth all my life and I had to be registered somewhere because I have two small children.

"NHS dentistry is going into the land of the businessman."

Denplan spokeswoman Emma Slater said patients had to be "orally fit" to join Denplan, but denied patients were "duped" into paying excess fees.

She said dentists decided what work their patients needed and when the work was carried out, enrolled them with Denplan and put them into one of five payment groups.

She said: "People have problems getting access to NHS dentists and have the opportunity of paying a fee per item, but this can be very costly, not everyone will have a lump sum. The beauty of Denplan is you can spread that cost out, although I appreciate you have to be orally fit to join it."

John Renshaw, chairman of the British Dental Association, said paying for separate treatments was the most popular option.

"Bills of £1,300 or £1,400 are not unusual," he said. "In this case, the dentist was saying that the patient already needed a large amount of treatment and he would put them on Denplan when that was completed.

"But a patient's argument then is if it's put right, why would you need to pay for more maintenance?"

He advised people to discuss payment options with their dentist.

Updated: 10:32 Wednesday, January 26, 2005