TALKS will be held with dentists' leaders to try to bring more practitioners to Ryedale to take on the district's NHS patients.

Colin Barnes, chairman of the Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Primary Care Trust (PCT) board with responsibility for NHS dental care, said the PCT would make strong representations to the British Dental Association.

He told a public meeting of the board in Pickering yesterday: "You can rest assured we will be doing that. We need to start talking. We need a mix between NHS and private - it's important."

Mr Barnes said the PCT should also make special efforts to make contact with dental schools.

John Quenet, of Russett Road, Malton, told the board his autistic son faced special problems because his dentist had suddenly closed the NHS side of the practice. His son could not cope well with change and in any case there were no NHS dentists available.

Board member Bob Clement asked why it was that no dentists wanted to come to Ryedale.

Another board member, Dr Phil Garnett, said the shortage of NHS dentists was a national problem. "They say it is not financially viable for them to stay in the NHS," he said.

Allan Beaumont, of the PCT, said there were incentives available nationally to encourage dentists into the NHS. These included grants of up to £25,000.

Updated: 11:34 Saturday, July 27, 2002