A TEAM of German dentists has been drafted in to treat 10,000 NHS patients -- due to a shortage of local experts to do the job.

The five-strong practice will open in Railway Road, Blackburn, on Monday after three of the dentists flew in on Tuesday to fill the places.

They were hired as part of a Government overseas recruitment drive to ease pressure in regions like East Lancashire that face problems in providing NHS dentists.

Health Minister Rosie Winterton, who was set to visit the practice today, said: "The NHS has been impressed by their high standards and is supporting them to settle into life in England."

Susanne Heine, who has been practising in Ashton-under-Lyne, will be the head dentist at the surgery to be housed in Blackburn's former visitor centre.

Her fiance, Tobias Berr, who is also German, will be practice manager and organised the recruitment.

Miss Heine said: "I have been working in the UK for two years and love this country. It may seem strange to have an all-German practice but I can assure the public that the level of care will be very high.

"All the dentists trained at German universities and German dentistry has a good reputation. There is no dentist shortage in Germany and because of the work opportunities in the UK many German dentists are choosing to set up practices over here instead.

"One of our dentists, Martin Kano, has been working as an NHS dentist in Devon and all the others speak fluent English. English is a second language in Germany -- but it might take a while for them to get used to the Lancashire accent!"

Mr Berr added: "One of our German dentists is a Muslim woman who will be able to treat other Muslim women who feel more comfortable being seen by a female.

"We have also employed dental nurses who speak a variety of languages, such as Urdu, Gujarati and Arabic to cater for all the community."

Peter Lewenz, commissioning manager for Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust, said: "The dentists are required to undertake a formal registration process, firstly with the General Dental Council, which enables the dentist to work in the UK, and secondly with the local PCT to gain entry to the local list.

This registration includes checks on identity, professional registration and qualifications, professional references and an assessment of language ability, which will require a formal test at a later date. CRB checks are in progress."

Regarding foreign dentists, Prime Minister Tony Blair said in Coventry yesterday: "I can't force dentists from the private sector back into the NHS.

"There is no solution to this problem other than recruiting more dentists and if we can't do it just by training more dentists, we have to do it by recruiting them from abroad."