VALE dentists could be forced to abandon NHS care for children following a ruling by South Worcestershire health chiefs.

The new regulations, set out in a letter sent to every dentist in the district, have alarmed parents who are faced with having to pay for private treatment.

Dentists who have de-registered adults since September will no longer be permitted to treat NHS patients - children and exempt adults.

One outcome, MPs fear, is that many dentists will treat only private patients - forcing parents to pay for their children's care.

Details of the way the new service will operate from April 1 was sent to all dentists earlier this month by the South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust which controls the purse strings.

There will be three standard charges for all NHS dental treatments, although patients meeting exemption criteria will continue to receive free NHS dental treatment as will children, according to the PCT.

But parents in the Wychavon area are far from convinced. Christine Watson, from Evesham, believes every child under the age of 16 should receive free dental care.

"I think it's every child's right to receive good dental health care from the NHS in this county, that's what the NHS is for. It would be very annoying and disappointing to have to pay for my child to receive dental care as well as paying for myself."

Edwin Alvis and his son, Sam, aged five, from Dumbleton said the change could see an increase in poor dental hygiene among children as the cost of paying for any treatment may be too costly for parents with more than two children.

Evesham's Julie Hutton said: "I don't think parents should have to pay for their children's dental care, especially if you're a private patient at the dental practice.

Vale MPs Peter Luff and Sir Michael Spicer have echoed these fears and are also worried about dentists who might decide not to treat any NHS patients.

Mr Luff has written to the PCT about discriminatory contracts which he claims actually means that many dentists will be forced to abandon NHS work for children.

"I'm sorry for you in this difficult situation," said Mr Luff in his letter, "a direct result of the under-funding I believe South Worcestershire and many other rural PCTs suffer, but I cannot be as optimistic as you about the consequences."

Sir Michael said: "It's quite wrong for the PCT to disallow certain dentists from treating children on the NHS. This is particularly serious in the context of preventative care, highly appropriate to young children and which saves expensive treatment as they grow up."

Sarah Collins, head of commissioning for dentistry, said the PCT has £14 million to spend on dentistry and want children and adults to benefit from the new contract and be provided with NHS dentistry. She added that in the Wychavon district the majority of dentists are able to provide 100 per cent NHS dental treatment and others do some NHS and private work.