A 69-YEAR-old man was left fuming after an NHS dentist in Christchurch charged him for paying with a debit card.

Keith Boughton, a retired health and safety adviser from Burton, was paying for a routine dental inspection at the Avon Dental Practice at Christchurch Hospital on Wednesday morning when he was told of the 20p charge. Mr Boughton said: “It’s not the cost that makes me angry it’s the principle. It’s an NHS dentist.

A spokesperson for Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust said: “Patients are always given the choice to pay by cash or cheque which do not incur charges.”

Mr Boughton said that apart from the charge he was happy with the service he received.