Private Milton Keynes dentist set to go into liquidation, leaving hundreds of patients heavily out of pocket

Finest Dental in Central Milton Keynes suddenly closed its doors earlier this month and put notice its website saying it was "restructuring".

Furious patients, many of whom have paid out thousands of pounds, have been left with unfinished treatments and missing teeth.

They have spent two weeks desperately trying to get answers and have even set up a Facebook group called Finest Dental Hunters.

Now the British Dental Association has now put out an announcement that will shatter patients' hopes of the company ever finising their treatment.

A BDA spokesman said: " The Finest Dental chain of dental practices has announced that they will be seeking liquidation and most likely cease trading.

"At present it is understood that their practices are closed leaving patients and the associate dentists and other staff who worked at those practices in an uncertain situation."

Finest Dental specialises in cosmetic work and advertised itself as "one of the leading brands in the dentistry world". It had clinics all over the country.

The brand is the trading name of B&A Group group of companies. The main companies are B&A Group and B&A Group Franchise Services Limited but there are a further 14 subsidiaries, each representing a particular practice location.

The luxurious MK practice was based in Fortuna House in South Fifth Street at CMK.

Today the practice's website still carried a notice stating: "Although we have worked tirelessly to ensure the immediate continuation of the practices for both staff and patients alike, unfortunately at this time we are still in the process of agreeing suitable options for patients to continue treatment."

The statement adds: "We are currently speaking to a selection of other dental operators to negotiate the continuation of patient care as well as approaching existing patient finance providers to request support in opening sites and continue existing patient treatment only."

Many patients had taken out finance plans through third party companies to pay for their dental treatment. the statement advises them to get in touch with the finance companies directly.

Meanwhile the British Dental Association says an administrator (Insolvency practitioner) will be appointed to wind up the company's affairs.

The BDA spokesman said: "Once an administrator has been appointed their details should be available from Companies House and on the official public notices website The London Gazette. The BDA is trying to find out who the administrators will be and will publish their details once they are known. We understand that Finest Dental's CEO has also promised to let its associates know the administrator's details."

He added: "The insolvency process will probably involve the administrator finding out who all the creditors are (this will include associates and patients who have made payments) and how much each person is owed. The administrators will then collect up or sell all the business's assets and use the funds to pay the creditors. However, with insolvent companies it is likely that there will not be enough money to pay all creditors in full."

One patient said: " I have been left with five top teeth and. £9k worth of debt..... This is terrible."