AN ARMY wife who had to suffer months of pain because of the lack of an NHS dentist has finally had some of the treatment completed.

But Kaylee Morris, whose husband is based at Bovington, will still have to go private for essential root canal work.

The young mum's face was so swollen she had to quit her nursing job because she could not wear her crash helmet to ride her motorbike to work.

Since moving from Germany to Bovington in September, the 24-year-old has been unable to find an NHS dentist.

But then Ed Matts, Conservative Parliamentary spokesman for South Dorset, stepped in and after six months of pain, she has had the tooth removed at Dorset County Hospital.

But because a private dentist did not refer her she cannot have the root canal work she needs.

Kaylee said: "My mouth is very sore at the moment because I've got stitches in.

"It was really brilliant to get rid of the tooth because it relieved a lot of pressure but I now need to pay for root canal surgery and the extraction of another tooth."

Kaylee's husband, Corporal Daniel Morris, has served in Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia, but the army will only cover the dentist treatment for spouses when the husband or wife is away.

Had Kaylee remained in Germany she would have been treated by the army dentist on camp.

Mr Matts is trying to secure army emergency dental cover for service families who move back to England and raised the question in Parliament.

He said: "My concern is that Kaylee, like many spouses and children of service men and women, is still outside the NHS system and they are not treated as swiftly as they should be.

"Not only will she have to pay several hundred pounds as a consequence but she still have to suffer a little longer."

Kaylee and her husband say they phoned 20 or so dentists and the NHS dental helpline but the only one available could not see her until March.

Kaylee must now pay £250 to have the rest of the treatment done privately.

First published: Feb 1