A dental practice in Welwyn Garden City will no longer see NHS patients from later this year, blaming a "chronic lack of investment and rapidly rising costs".

In a letter to patients, the management for Knightsfield Dental Practice confirmed that it will "no longer be seeing adult patients under the NHS from October 31, 2024", and is now asking patients to sign up to their membership programme.

"Like many NHS practices across the UK, we are having to make crucial decisions to ensure our practice survives and is here to provide your dental care in the long term," read a letter to patients seen by the Welwyn Hatfield Times.

"As such, we have made the decision to limit our NHS services and will no longer be seeing adult patients under the NHS from October 31, 2024.

"We will be here to provide adult dental care on a private basis. To ensure your place with the practice, we would like to invite you to join one of our established practice membership plans.

"Our practice membership plans help you keep your teeth and gums healthy by allowing you to budget monthly for your dental care so you can attend on a basis that's right for you."

The practice cited a "chronic lack of investment in NHS dentistry and rapidly rising costs" as the reason for their decision.

The Welwyn Hatfield Times contacted Knightsfield Dental Practice for comment, but did not receive a response.