A FREE dental service offered by trainee university students is affecting income received by South East Essex Primary Care Trust for dental contracts.

The trust says it is losing out on the fixed charge patients are required to pay for NHS dental services because many are using the Southend Health and Dental Care Centre, at the University of Essex Southend.

The centre provides free dental treatment carried out by supervised senior dental students studying at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Angela Wong Keet, spokeswoman for the trust, said: "The PCT is delighted there is increased dental services for patients. However there is a potential financial risk to the PCT, which at this time is not quantifiable."

However, she said capacity freed up by people going to the dental school would allow more people to access NHS services with their local dentists.