READER Dave Boardman knew he needed a tooth extracted and had to build up courage to go to a dentist.

He discovered they are not easy to come by or cheap.

He says he was appalled that every dentist he visited insisted on a £40 consultation fee on top of a £30 extraction fee.

He made it quite clear that he only had nine teeth left and knew exactly which tooth had to come out without a consultation, but the surgeries wouldn't wear it.

He had no joy - and the fee could not be avoided.

Job seeker Dave says: "This stinks on top of them no longer accepting NHS patients, the same NHS that paid for all their training no doubt.

"As I was in agony I had no option other than to pay up or suffer. After going back at the appointed time I was kept waiting for 30 minutes in which time the receptionist relieved five other patients of £730 before I sat in the dentist's chair.

"The so-called consultation consisted of the dentist agreeing with me that the tooth was bad, about 30 seconds of his time Then followed the extraction of the tooth which took no longer than a further six minutes.

"What a way to make a living! Total £70, one and a half weeks job seekers allowance, for seven minutes work, two minutes of that waiting for the tooth to numb.

"I'd love to see the dentist's face if a mechanic charged him £40 just to agree with him that his Porche needed a new wiper blade!"

Do they not?

Never having had the strongest set of teeth I can sympathise, but that's the way of the world. Thankfully I have been with the same NHS dentist for 20 years, attend for regular treatment and still sign NHS forms, but it still costs a fortune.

Still I'd rather cough up than lose my well filled and capped gnashers.

If you're lucky enough to get with an NHS dentist, hang on to him and attend all check ups. It pays off in the long run.