A DENTIST is quitting the NHS because he says the new system is unworkable.

Roger Greef's practice was used as a model for the new NHS dental contract which came in in April.

But he and the dental therapist at his Princess Street surgery have been treating up to 100 people in one day - and this is still not enough to meet the government targets.

The practice currently has about 4,000 patients on its books, 1,000 of them children, but from January they will have to go elsewhere if they want NHS treatment.

Roger, who has been an NHS dentist for 31 years, says he feels he cannot work ethically - giving his patients the time they need for treatment - without breaching the targets within his contract with Barnsley Primary Care Trust. He said: “The process is turning us into a factory, it’s nothing to do with patients anymore."

But PCT bosses say the system is working, although a letter it sent out to all dentists last month stated there was concern over a shortage of income from patient charges - which is deducted from dentists' earnings.

PCT assistant director of commissioning Ed Reilly said: “The perception that PDS is unworkable clearly isn't universal and we have a number of practices expressing the view that not only is the new contract workable but also they would be willing to increase their NHS commitment."