Patients could be moved around dental surgeries under proposed changes to the system.

Instead of having a regular surgery, the changes could see people offered treatment at any practice within their health board area, with check-ups for those with healthy teeth pushed to every 18 to 24 months.

The Welsh government said the proposals would improve access to dental services, particularly for those most in need.

But the British Dental Association (BDA) said the opposite could happen and more patients may be forced to go private.

The biggest change would see all patients over 18 placed onto a central waiting list, called the Dental Access Portal (DAP).

They would then be allocated a surgery, which could be anywhere within the health board area.

If they need treatment, they would remain with that surgery until it is complete and beyond, if they needed close monitoring.

If or when teeth are healthy, patients would be returned to the central portal and would be recalled for a check-up in 18 to 24 months wherever there is space.

Children would be assessed under the plans but stay at the first surgery they are allocated.

Some charges for patients would also change – with check-ups going up from £20 to £24.75 but a single crown going down from £260 to £239.15.

Health Minister Jeremy Miles said the plans would benefit everyone.

“It will make NHS dentistry more attractive to dentists and that is good for patients,” he said.

“Actually, what we want to make sure is that patients do look after their own oral health but when they do need to see a dentist they will be able to access one which is the critical thing.”

Jody Pegler, 46, from Pontllanfraith, Caerphilly county, who has been with his dentist in Newbridge for more than 30 years, said: “I have been coming here since I was a child.

“It’s nice to see the same person on a regular basis.”

Mr Pegler, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, said his family members needing to visit different surgeries could be problematic.

“My wife, my child and myself could potentially be attending different practices,” he said.

“It’s difficult to get out and to go anywhere really and if we have to go to different practices it would be impossible.

“This dentist’s in particular have made a big effort to make sure the practice is wheelchair accessible for me – that means a lot.”

Jody’s dentist is Dr Harj Singhrao, owner of Newbridge Dental Care, who believes the potential breakdown in continued care will be “devastating”.

“If families can’t be seen at the same practice, if people are punished then to join a waiting list because they have looked after their mouth, then where are they going to go? Because we know hospital waiting lists don’t work,” he said.

The proposals are now part of a public consultation, open until 19 June, and in Cardiff people gave a mixed response to the plans when asked by BBC Wales.

Robyn Weldon, 21, said: “I’ve been going to my dentist since I was probably six so I guess that would be a bit sad if I can’t go to him.

“I would say too that things haven’t been going very well for the NHS so maybe this could be a good start to kind of make things easier for them and for us.”

Paul McCarthy, 77, said he was unaware of the changes.

“I wouldn’t be very happy about it,” he said.

“I’ve been coming here for over 30 years and I’m used to coming here so I wouldn’t like that at all.”

Justin Rees, 52, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, thought the new portal idea could be positive.

“It’s good because one, there are no appointments at the moment.

“Two, it’ll remind people that they need to have their teeth checked because you’re busy all day and there’s things that you let go,” he said.

In relation to how people currently access services, the consultation document says “contrary to popular belief” patients are not actually registered with a practice once their treatment ends, adding “for those who clinically require regular access, or an urgent need arises, nothing really changes”.

On check-ups, it says there is “false narrative” that six-monthly check-ups are necessary for everyone and that by giving people with healthy teeth a check-up less often, it will open up access for others.

NICE guidelines say intervals between check-ups “should be determined specifically for each patient” and the longest interval for adults should be 18-24 months.

But Dr Lauren Harrhy from the BDA said she was concerned that people may end up waiting much longer, with “most people” benefiting from regular checks.

Dr Harrhy, who runs a practice in Pontypool, Torfaen, said: “If we are always having patients into the practice who need lots of work done and they are not able to be put back into the central database, there is a saturation point and at which point, access into dental practices will cease.

“Our main concerns are we will have an overall reduction in the continuity of care… and we may find that dentists leave NHS dentistry which has been a trend over recent years anyway.”

Dentists also say the proposals offer no extra money to fund the changes.

But Miles said investment in dentistry had increased year on year.

“This isn’t a contract we have drawn up from thin air, it is based on years worth of work, it’s 13 months of negotiations with the BDA itself,” he said.

“No contract gives everybody exactly what they want but I am absolutely confident that for everybody – for patients, for dentists, for the NHS, for the government – this is a step forward.”

Plaid Cymru said the proposed changes “do nothing to address the issues with the current contracts and could push more NHS dentists to the private sector”.

Additional reporting by Sanjana Idnani and Siwan Richards