The crisis in dentistry may be about to get worse - with more practitioners threatening to leave the NHS next year.

Dentists in the area warn huge fears over new NHS contracts could lead to more surgeries going private after April 2006.

Businesses are currently paid for each bit of NHS treatment they carry out - be it cleaning, fillings or tooth extraction. But after April, they will be paid according to the number of NHS patients on their books.

The news comes only days after the Evening Press revealed that not one York NHS practice would accept new patients, as health chiefs estimated that up to 20,000 could need treatment.

There are plans to create 5,000 new places in the York area, but that will take up to five years. The nearest dentists offering NHS treatment are Ripon, Hull and Scarborough.

John Renshaw, president of the British Dental Association, admitted local dentists were anxious they will not receive enough cash for the work they do.

He said many dentists wanted to apply for extra patients so that they could expand - but there was concern these contracts would not be granted.

Clockhouse Dental Practice, in Heworth, is among several York dentists which applied for an advance version of the new contracts in the hope of taking on extra patients.

But the practice was told Selby and York Primary Care Trust had already issued 16 expansion contracts - and providing more would '"destabilise" the system.

Dentist Kirk Young, of Young's Dental Practice, in Snaith, has also experienced problems.

"We went through all the proper procedures back in February, but the new contract never arrived," he said.

"We are warning our 2,500 NHS patients that we will have to go private after April 2006 if we are not granted the contract we need."

John Renshaw, who practices in Scarborough, said: "The changes being proposed are not meeting with a great deal of approval because dentists are used to providing a service where every bit of treatment is costed and priced."

Denise Smith, head of primary care delivery at Selby and York Primary Care Trust, said: "We now have 16 practices that have moved into new contractual arrangements.

"As part of the negotiations with these 16 practices we have agreed expansion plans of 28,786 new NHS registrations. To date we have delivered 8,137 of these registrations.

"Before we would enter into negotiations for any further expansion plans we need to deliver the remaining growth in registrations already agreed."

Updated: 08:32 Wednesday, August 24, 2005