IT'S SMILES CHEAPER

Dental surgeries in the town are enjoying an influx of southern patients who have ditched their own dentists for a cheaper alternative in Banbridge.

Many private surgeries in the town offer much lower prices than their southern counterparts, and with the South's economy in a fragile state, it seems a hop across the border to treat a toothache saves a pretty penny in the long run.

Some dentists in Banbridge claim that around 50 per cent of their patients are living across the border.

Chris Sands, a partner in Advanced Dental Care at Jingler's Court, said more and more patients have travelled to the surgery from the south during the last six months.

"It seems the word has spread and we have a lot more people from the south ringing up to price treatment now," he told the Leader.

"I would say for every 10 new patients treated by us, about four or five of them are from the south."

Other dentists in the town claim that while they have always had some trade from cross-border patients, the increase in the past number of months has been noticeable.

Chris, added, "People might come up here for a one-off treatment because it is much cheaper but then they find the are happy with the service and want to come back."

One dentist claimed a patient said they were quoted around €500 for root canal treatment while the price charged in the north stands at around 250.

Another patient told a local dentist they had been quoted a price three times higher than a fee here for a simple filling.

The apparently stark differences in dental charges have caused controversy in recent times, with southern dentists - especially those in border counties - claiming they are losing vital business to dentists here.

A spokeswoman for dentists in Co Monaghan, Dr Bernadette Fee, said, "Our charges are as low as those listed by Northern dentists on their websites."