Thousands of people in rural Powys are being left without access to an NHS dentist, with entire towns now relying on private care or travelling long distances for treatment.

The issue was raised in the Senedd by Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds, who warned that changes to NHS dental contracts have failed to make rural dentistry viable and are actively discouraging dentists from working in the system.

She told First Minister Eluned Morgan that around 4,000 adults are currently on the NHS dental waiting list in Powys, while Knighton and Llandrindod Wells - towns with a combined population of around 9,000 - have no NHS dentist at all.

She said Radnorshire was “paying the price for its rurality” and argued that dentists are unwilling to enter NHS practice under the current contract model, particularly in sparsely populated areas.

She called for a “significant change” to the contract due to come into force in April and urged the Welsh Government to ensure alternatives such as mobile and outreach dentistry are actively reaching communities in south Powys.

In reply, Ms Morgan said the Government is “serious” about making sure that it can supply that provision.

She told Ms Dodds: “I've been really interested to see in Powys it's the health board undertaking a lot of this responsibility themselves using dental therapists.

“We have to make better use of dental therapists. That’s why I'm pleased, for example, that we are seeing more of those qualify at Bangor University for the first time last September. I want to see more of those.

“I want to see recognition that a huge amount of work done by dentists can be done by dental therapists.

“That is certainly part of what we're planning to do as a Government - increase the numbers of students who embark on those qualifications.”

But concerns remain that the approach will not address the immediate gap facing rural communities, with Ms Dodds warning that rural areas are being “left behind”.

Speaking after the Senedd session, she said: “The size of NHS waiting lists points to a rural healthcare system in a state of permacrisis, with 4,000 adults on the NHS waiting list in Powys.

“Radnorshire is once again suffering because of its rurality, with residents facing limited options and growing inequality in access to care.

“Rural communities deserve equal access to healthcare, not permanent excuses. If traditional models are not working, the Welsh Government must invest in alternatives that do.

“Mobile and outreach dentistry could make a real difference in rural areas. The Government must act now to ensure these services are available where they are most needed.”

The comments come as the Welsh Government prepares to introduce a new General Dental Services contract from April, described by ministers as the biggest shake-up of NHS dentistry in two decades. The reforms are intended to focus more on prevention and improve fairness, but critics have warned they do not yet address long-standing problems with access to NHS dentists in rural areas.