PEOPLE in Blackburn are five times more likely to receive bad dental treatment than the national average, research suggests.

The research by by specialist dental negligence solicitors, the Dental Law Partnership, also suggests that the North West is the worst region in England and Wales for bad dental work .

The research was based on an analysis of 1,884 successful claims that the Dental Law Partnership made against dentists on behalf of patients between 2013 and 2017.

More than £28million was paid out in claims across England and Wales overt hat period.

The claim rate in Blackburn was 17 per 100,000 of population, over five times the national average.

The average settlement value across England and Wales was more than £14,800, while the average age of patients awarded compensation was 45-years-old.

David Corless-Smith, from the Dental Law Partnership, said: "It is difficult to pinpoint exactly why patients are more likely to make a claim against their dentist in certain regions. One reason could be that there are more individual dentists consistently providing poor treatment in these areas. We handle a significant number of claims in every region and would urge anybody who thinks they may have been a victim of substandard dental work to look into it further.

"Dental malpractice, or dental negligence, can be defined as avoidable injury caused by a dentist who fails to take the proper care. Any case where a dentist has performed poorly, negligently or inappropriately which results in avoidable harm being caused to a patient can lead to a dental negligence compensation claim.”