A new report by the Office for Fair Trading reveals that half a million people a year may have unnecessarily paid for private dental treatment after being misinformed by their dentist about NHS entitlements.

John Fingleton, OFT chief executive, says dentists should offer the choice of paying for the treatment on the NHS.

These problems around misinformation are "not just the BDA's fault", he told the Today programme, but "the way the contract is structured by the government".

Dr John Milne, chair of BDA's General Dental Practise Committee, says he is not "convinced" by the figures.

"The vast majority of patients are happy" he told Justin Webb. "If patients are unclear about the charges they should speak to the dentist".

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