JUST 5,500 of 13,000 places available at a new Worcester dental surgery have been filled - a month after it opened.
The St Mary's Street practice, off The Tything, opened at the end of May offering thousands of people access to NHS treatment after many city dentists became private practitioners in April 2006.
A spokeswoman for Worcestershire Primary Care Trust said it was hard to understand why more people had not registered at the surgery, run by Oasis Dental Care.
She said: "There is a need out there, because people have been waiting for NHS dentists. It's just a matter of advertising it to people and promoting it.
Meanwhile, a new NHS practice in Pershore High Street operated by Oasis has filled just 2,700 of its 8,000 places.
Anyone wishing to join a dental practice must call the dental helpline on 01905 760111 and not turn up in person.
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