Health bosses have promised to take action after it was revealed that dental patients are having to travel up to 35 miles for NHS treatment.

People in Wensleydale are forced to make the long journey to seek treatment even though £18,000 in public money has been pumped into their local practice.

And now the local Primary Care Trust has promised to address the problem of accessibility to NHS care through their oral health implementation group.

Hawes and Abbotside Parish Council first raised the issue after locals complained of having to choose between long NHS waiting lists or paying for private treatment.

Despite the Trust ploughing £18,000 into dental services at Hawes, patients were still being told to join the private Denplan which can cost up to £28.50 per month.

Chairman of the parish council, John Blackie, said: "Concerns heightened because the practice in Hawes was given a lot of public money to facilitate the NHS service but in reality patients were having to pay to be treated privately.

"If they want to be seen by an NHS dentist they have to travel a 35 mile round journey to Leyburn, which means taking a half day off work."

He added: "We have been abandoned in deep rural areas by an organisation who promised local healthcare for local people.

"I am hopeful that the PCT will now investigate the situation and that a solution will be found resulting in an expansion of the NHS service."

Yesterday the Trust issued a statement saying their oral health group recognised the problem and the concerns of local residents.

It added: "The Group are committed to doing something about the current situation and has agreed to explore the options for both short term arrangements and longer-term solutions."

Richmondshire councillor Richard Good, a supporter of public health care, has already waited three years to become an NHS patient. He said: "It's a national problem that is pushing people into private dental care."

No-one was available for comment at the practice yesterday but it is understood to be struggling to register NHS patients because of two practitioner vacancies.