THE number of NHS dentists in Derbyshire has risen and more patients now have access to them, according to new figures.

Statistics from the NHS Information Centre showed the number of dentists per 100,000 people in Derby rose from 46 in the year up to April 2009 to 51 in April of this year.

And, in the rest of Derbyshire, outside the city, that figure went from 50 to 52.

The information centre has also revealed that dentists in the East Midlands earn, on average, £71,500 – making them among the highest paid in the country.

Earnings were higher in the North-East and East of England but lower everywhere else in the country, with an average for England and Wales of £67,800.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: "The report provides a detailed picture of the way NHS dental services are being delivered on the ground and how they are changing over time.

"It highlights a continued increase in the overall number of people seeing an NHS dentist."

The percentage of people in Derby seeing an NHS dentist has risen from 55% in June 2008 to 60% in June this year.

And, across the rest of the county, that figure has gone from 48% to 53%.

Six NHS dental practices have opened in Derby since December 2008, bringing the total in the city to 37.

And, across the rest of the county, £4m was invested in opening new practices in Ashbourne, Staveley and Shirebrook in 2009.

The money also paid for 44 practices across Derbyshire to offer emergency treatment and to take on new patients.

Andrew Dale, secretary of the Derby Local Dental Committee, said there were now enough NHS dentists in the city.

He said a few years ago that the local health authority, NHS Derby City, was falling short of its targets to offer dental care to a certain number of patients but turned things around after getting extra cash from the Government.

He said: "I understand there are still some issues around waiting lists at some of the new practices.

"There are short waits of three or four weeks for a check-up at some of them.

"But I don't think we need any more dentists in Derby."

And he said the amount that dentists got paid was "reasonable for the professional skill involved".

He said: "The fact that pay in the East Midlands is slightly higher is historic because there was a time when demand on each dentist was higher, so they had to work harder.

"But it's only a minor fluctuation."