Devon Primary Care Trust has expressed concern after a dental practice in Okehampton stopped treating NHS patients.

Albany House dental surgery in Station Road is no longer taking NHS patients — as a notice on its door and a telephone answering machine indicates. It is, however, treating private patients on Tuesday evenings and Friday mornings before it becomes fully 'private' in May.

The practice was established in the town in 2007 and was contracted to provide courses of treatment for more than 2,000 patients a year.

But the practice this year managed only to treat two-thirds of that number, said Devon Primary Care Trust.

Andrew Harris, of the PCT, which commissions dentistry services on behalf of people living in Devon, said he was extremely disappointed.

'People living in the town deserve the same high-quality dentistry services as everyone else in Devon.'

One family in Okehampton said that as NHS patients at the surgery they have had their appointments cancelled at the last minute and feel badly let down.

Rachel Sturgess, her husband,­ Colin, and their four children, along with Rachel's mother, Patricia, all signed up to the surgery.

Mrs Sturgess said her daughter had an appointment in two weeks' time but claimed the surgery had not yet informed her they are no longer treating NHS patients.

She added: 'This is typical of the standard of service we have been treated to.'

Devon PCT has begun a tender process to replace the service.

In the meantime the trust has made alternative arrangements for patients who were in the middle of a course of treatment at the surgery.

Patients in this position should call Devon PCT's Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 0845 111 0080 (Mon-Fri, office hours only) to arrange treatment at another practice.

Patients with an urgent dental problem should contact the Exeter Dental Access Centre (Mon-Fri, office hours only) on 01392 405 700. Patients living to the north of Okehampton can also contact the Barnstaple Dental Access Centre (Mon-Fri, office hours only) on 01271 324 878.

For access to advice and urgent dental treatment during evenings, weekends and on bank holidays, patients can call 01392 823 682.

Finally, patients who wish to be allocated a place with the new dental service in Okehampton should leave their details on the PCT dental line: 0845 0020 034 or by email [email protected]">[email protected]

Despite attempts by the Times to contact Albany House Dental Practice no one from the surgery was available for comment.