A BBC investigation found no dental practices in South Ayrshire were accepting new adult or child NHS patients.

The study, released on Monday, found four out of every five NHS dentists in Scotland were not accepting new adult patients for treatment on the health service, a BBC investigation has found.

BBC researchers could not find any dentists taking on adult NHS patients in nine local authorities.

Meanwhile, nearly 80 per cent of NHS practices were not accepting new child patients.

The rearchers were unable to find any practices taking on new adult or child NHS patients in Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee, Midlothian, Moray, Orkney, South Ayrshire and Western Isles.

They were also unable to find practices taking on adult NHS patients in Angus and Inverclyde - while both areas had one practice accepting child NHS patients.

Yesterday, the Scottish government said that more than 95 per cent of the population were registered with an NHS dentist.

They added that the dental workforce in Scotland (54 dentists per 100,000 population) was stronger than in England (42 per 100,000 population).

But the BBC said they had heard from people in Scotland who say they have been de-registered from their dental practice.

BBC News contacted nearly 7,000 NHS practices across the UK - believed to be almost all those offering general treatment to the public.

The British Dental Association (BDA) called it “the most comprehensive and granular assessment of patient access in the history of the service”.

While NHS dental treatment is not free for most adults, it is subsidised.

Across the UK, 90 per cent of NHS practices were not accepting adult patients and 80 per centwere not accepting new child patients.

In Scotland, the figures were 82 per cent and 79 per cent respectively.

Meanwhile, 39 per cent of practices in Scotland said they had an open waiting list.

Researchers were unable to find any practices taking on new adult or child NHS patients in Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee, Midlothian, Moray, Orkney, South Ayrshire and Western Isles.

They were also unable to find practices taking on adult NHS patients in Angus and Inverclyde - while both areas had one practice accepting child NHS patients.

However, Scotland had significantly better access to NHS dentistry for adults than the other UK nations, with 18 per cent of practices taking on new health service patients.

Wales, England and Northern Ireland had similar rates of access, with seven per cent, nine per cent and 10 per cent.