Government targets to increase NHS dentistry are "ambitious" and may not be met, parliament's spending watchdog has concluded.

The National Audit Office found ministers may have set their sights too high in aiming to ease the shortage of supply of taxpayer funded dentists.

It also raised concerns that poor areas are suffering the most from shortages, although at the other end of the scale dentists in the wealthiest communities have no incentive to offer NHS treatments.

Ian  Wylie, chief executive of the British Dental Association, welcomed the report and said that it "will not make easy reading" for the government.