The number of people in Devon waiting to be seen and treated by an NHS dentist has fallen by 37,000 in 18 months, figures show.

In 2005, there were 48,000 people in the county waiting to be allocated to an NHS dentist.

Now the number of patients on the list has dropped to 11,000, according to the Devon Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Andrew Harris, the dental lead at the Devon PCT, said: "We have been able to use funding more flexibly thanks to the new dental contract which allows the money to stay with the primary care trust if a dentist leaves or reduces their NHS work.

"This means we can reinvest that money in the service locally."

New practices have been opened in Exeter, Newton Abbot, Kingsbridge and West Hill in the last 18 months, while services have been expanded in Teignmouth, Torrington, Barnstaple and Chulmleigh over the same period.

Mr Harris added: "It's now much easier for practices to recruit dentists than it has been in the past too, due to the expansion of the European Union which makes it easier for overseas dentists to work here from countries such as Poland, for example.

"We recognise that 11,000 patients waiting for NHS dental care is still too many.

"It will take some time, but we are aiming to clear completely our list of patients waiting eventually, so that no one in Devon will need to wait for routine dental care."