THE wait is finally over for thousands of people looking for an NHS dentist in Worcester.

A new surgery offering places for 12,500 patients is to open at 5 St Mary's Street, off The Tything, Worcester, on Friday.

It is great news for the thousands of patients who lost out when more than half of NHS dentists in south Worcestershire stopped providing NHS dental care in April last year.

The dentists refused to sign new contracts that would have paid them per patient rather than for the work carried out, leaving 35,000 patients in the region without access to NHS treatment.

Six dentists will work at the St Mary's Street practice which will be operated by Oasis Dental Care Ltd.

The Worcester News reported in March how Oasis - which was awarded a £600,000 contract by Worcestershire Primary Care Trust at the end of last year - was pinning its hopes on the site after original plans for a surgery in McNaught Place, the Arboretum, were refused planning permission by Worcester City Council.

Dr Bryan Smith, chairman of Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, said: "We are particularly delighted to be in the position to offer Worcester patients the replacement NHS dental access which they lost in April 2006 when a number of Worcester dentists became private practitioners.

"The trust has worked with the new owners, Oasis Dental Care Ltd, to provide a new state-of-the-art suite of surgeries.

"In addition to Worcester, new NHS dental practices are now in Droitwich, Pershore, Kidderminster, Redditch and Malvern."

If a patient wants to join the practice and has not already spoken to the trust, they are asked to give their details to the dental helpline on 01905 760111.

Patients will not be able to get an appointment by turning up at the practice.