The changeover from a Sure Start service to a council-run children's centre is going to cost 180 children their free dental care at the centre.
The provision in Eastbourne, East Sussex, was previously run by East Sussex Primary Care Trust as a Sure Start service, but now that it has been taken over by East Sussex County Council as a children's centre, service money will not be allowed to be spent on providing dental treatment from June this year.
A spokesperson from the council said, 'We are not allowed to use the grant for services that are provided elsewhere through other Government funding, as is the case with dentistry. We have to ensure that the grant we receive from the Government is spent on providing core children's centre services.'
Children signed up to the service currently receive treatment, screenings and advice for free.
A letter from the dental service to parents read, 'It is with much sadness that I am writing to inform you that the Eastbourne Children's Centres dental service will cease to continue from the end of June 2007. This is because East Sussex County Council is reviewing the services it provides.
'Unfortunately the East Sussex Primary Care Trust Dental Service is unable to take over funding due to lack of resources.'
A spokesperson from the Trust said, 'The PCT will be looking at the commissioning of dental services for children as part of its annual review, and will consider the change at Eastbourne Children's Centre as part of this.'
A dental nurse is to continue to visit the children's centre as an oral health promoter, providing dental and oral health advice at drop-in sessions and groups.
The withdrawal of the free service is compounded by a shortage of NHS dentists in the area, following nationwide changes in NHS dentistry funding last April.
Meanwhile, new research from the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry reveals that more than one-third of children in England and Wales have decayed or missing teeth by age five. See www.bascd.org/ annual_survey_results.php.