FEWER than half the children in Somerset have visited a NHS dentist in the past year - the lowest figure of any council area in England outside London, according to new analysis.

Studies showed in the year ending in March, dentists saw a total of 49,634 of Somerset’s 111,150 under-18s, or 44.7 per cent, while about 61,500 were not seen.

The figure is up from 43.2 per cent the previous year, but still below England’s average of 60 per cent.

The figures were analysed by health cost experts at Single Mothers Resource, which ranked every English council area using the latest NHS dental statistics from NHS Business Services Authority.

London boroughs had the lowest figures, with 36.3 per cent in Kensington and Chelsea, and 42.7 per cent in Westminster.

Devon was third with 48.2 per cent of youngsters visiting their dentist, and Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, had the highest figure with 70.3 per cent.

Dawn Yates, a health cost expert at Single Mothers Resource, said: “A lot of parents do not realise NHS dental care is completely free for children, so check-ups and fillings should not cost a family a penny.

“It is also free for women who are pregnant and for a year after the birth, and for many families on Universal Credit.

“If your child has not been seen for a while, the NHS website shows which dentists near you are taking on children, and if they are in pain, NHS 111 can help you get an urgent appointment.”

Local MP Rachel GIlmour has described West Somerset as a ‘dental desert’ and tabled an amendment to the Government’s recent Health Bill.

If accepted, this would guarantee access to an NHS dentist for anybody needing urgent care and would ensure that all local children would have regular check-ups.