A THIRTEEN-year-old boy and his family are being charged more than £3,000 for dental work, previously provided for free on the NHS.

George Adams, of Bitterne Park, needs a brace to correct his jaw, but his local orthodontist is charging £3,500 for the work because of a lack of funding.

The plight of Hampshire parents facing bills for their child's orthodontic work was revealed in the Daily Echo last week.

New dentists' contracts - introduced last April - are forcing some practices to slash the number of NHS patients they can afford to treat.

Hampshire PCT said the new regulations would help ensure orthodontic care goes to those who need it most. It also reassured parents that with 449 dentists offering children's NHS treatment across the region, patients should have access to free dental care if they need it.

George's teeth - rated the maximum five under the contract's new severity scale - are so fragile he is unable to play football in case he is injured.

"I feel lost," said George, pictured right with dad Mark, whose dental problems began when he was just eight years old. "I don't know what's going to happen and I really want to play competitive football."

Orthodontists have told the youngster he may face an operation in his late teens if the work is not completed now.

"You expect to pay for luxuries but not for your children's health," said Mr Adams, a postal driver, of Norwich Road. "George is reluctant to smile and it affects his self confidence. I don't understand why the NHS can't pay for the treatment now when they would end up paying even more for an operation in the future. Three thousand pounds doesn't just fall out of the air and I'm still hoping we can get funding from somewhere else.

"We've been told it's pointless to try another orthodontist because it's the same everywhere but I'm going to approach my MP about it."

George's brother Harry, 10, also has problems with his teeth and Mr Adams, 42, fears he and his wife Ruth may face the same problem again.

Patricia Webley, of Smilemakers dental and orthodontic clinic in Bitterne Road East, said: "We are all in a very difficult situation. There's virtually no funding from the PCT for new patients and they are being forced to go private. If you speak to other practices in the area they will say they are experiencing the same problems.

"We're only allowed to treat patients graded as 3.6 but we're in a situation where we can't even treat those who are eligible.

"We are a new practice and were only brought in because there was a shortage of orthodontists in this area. These children need treatment but we can't do it for nothing."

After revelations in the Daily Echo last week about dental charges now we can reveal 100 NHS dentists have gone private this year. Special report in today's Daily Echo.