Skipton'S new NHS dentist will start welcoming patients into its surgery from the end of next week.

But there will be no repeat of scenes in other towns of long queues of people waiting to sign up on the first day

Patients have to register via a telephone hotline and so far 858 families - 1,777 patients - have logged their details with the practice.

Five dentists and eight support staff started at the practice last month, but the first working day at the new Whitecross Centre, on Airedale Business Park, is Thursday.

Four of the dentists are foreign and joining them will be local dentist John Pollard, who previously practised on Newmarket Street. His wife, Dianne, will be practice manager.

The overseas dentists have been recruited by Integrated Dental Holdings (IDH) which will run the centre on behalf of Craven, Harrogate and Rural District Primary Care Trust.

IDH is the UK's largest owner of dental practices.

Patients wishing to register leave their details on a telephone hotline and their names and addresses are then passed in batches to IDH. When the practice opens those who have called the hotline will be given slots to attend the centre and formally register.

A spokesman for the PCT explained that anyone turning up at the practice would be advised to call the hotline.

He added: "It is important to stress that this is the agreed route for people seeking to register with the practice as we want to ensure the fairest and most efficient way of allocating places.

"People should not just turn up as the practice will be following the agreed procedure. There are plenty of places available at the practice."

Lynda Wigley, the trust's director of primary care and patient and public involvement, said: "Providing additional NHS dental capacity in Craven has been an important priority for the PCT and we are delighted that the work we have been doing behind the scenes is about to pay off as this large new practice in Skipton becomes operational.

"I would ask those people who have already called our hotline to be patient a little bit longer as they will be hearing from the practice soon and we would urge other local people needing an NHS dentist to call the hotline and leave their details."

The town learned that it would be getting the new centre in spring last year.

Craven had been highlighted as a "challenged area" for dental services and as a result the primary care trust managed to secure additional national funding for more dentists.

IDH was subsequently successful in gaining planning permission for the centre, which will house surgeries, a reception, waiting area, one staff room, a toilet, X-ray room and an office.

An IDH-operated dental practice is already treating patients in Barnoldswick.

The two-suite Barnoldswick Dental Centre on Park Avenue opened last year and the team includes three Polish dentists.

The new service was provided by Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust as part of its pledge to replace NHS facilities lost last year when one of the town's surgeries decided to go private.

Anyone wishing to register for the Skipton practice can ring and leave their details on the special hotline. The number to call is 01423 876413.