In just 18 months, 16,000 people missed their appointments at MCM Dental Services Ltd on Queen Street, according to its owner, Jane McCarthy.

She decided to speak out after the Express revealed last week that NHS dental services were at breaking point, with thousands of people waiting to be signed up across the city.

Of 14 surgeries providing NHS treatment, only one in Crofton had appointments available and four others had waiting lists of at least two months.

Mrs McCarthy said people needed to realise that missed appointments was where some of the blame lay, adding: "It is so frustrating when someone does not turn up for an appointment, because we know we could have filled it 10 times over."

Mrs McCarthy said missed appointments not only cost the practice money – as it was paid less money by the government if targets are not met – but it could leave patients out of pocket, too.

She said: "We cannot charge people for missed appointments, but if paying NHS patients miss appointments and treatment they have paid for upfront is not completed within three months, they have to pay the whole amount again and it can be as much as £194."

Ann Ballarini, director of strategy and commissioning at Wakefield District Primary Care Trust, said it was not only dentists being affected by the problem of missed appointments.

She joined Mrs McCarthy in urging people to cancel appointments they are not going to be able to make, adding: "We are committed to improving patient access to local health services, however, every year, thousands of people fail to keep NHS appointments, whether at the dentist, doctor or hospital.

"This has a direct impact on patients, staff and services. It wastes appointments that other patients could have filled and makes the length of time patients have to wait for an appointment longer, as well as wasting staff time and resources, which ultimately costs the NHS millions of pounds every year.

"If you can't make an appointment, no longer need it or want to rearrange it, we would urge you to let the service you have your appointment with know.

"This will help us to keep waiting times down and ensure those who need appointments are seen as quickly as possible."