A FORMER nurse has accused her dentist of discrimination after her guide dog was refused entry to a practice waiting room.

Julie Carville, who was registered as blind in 2008, got her dog Jilly nearly two months ago.

She has been a patient at Prescot House Dental Surgery for 10 years but this was the first time she had taken a guide dog to an appointment.

Mother-of-two Julie, who has Stargardt Disease, said: "I gave our names in at reception and the receptionist said 'I don't think we can let guide dogs in'."

Julie, 38, was embarrassed because she felt her disability was being treated as a problem.

She continued: "The dentist came back and at first said the dog couldn't come in the waiting room. When I told her there was a legal requirement, she said 'well, do you want to go and ask everyone in the waiting room if they are allergic to or scared of dogs?'

"They also questioned my disability. They said 'you've been coming here 10 years, and now you've got a guide dog?', as if I didn't really need it.

"By this time, I was too upset to stay. I hadn't been expecting to take the dog into the treatment room, just the waiting room where my husband was going to wait with her."

Julie left with her family and complained to the Guide Dogs Association.

Penny Williams, from Guide Dogs, said: "You don't expect this to happen in this day and age."

Penny exchanged emails with the dental practice, quoting from the Equalities Act, and said the dentist accepted Julie could bring her dog to the surgery but should book an appointment at the end of the day.

Julie, who lives in Penrith Road, Portico with her husband and son, five, and daughter, three, said: "Why do I need to wait until the end of the day? It still feels like discrimination.

"We've got to look for a new dentist now."

In a statement Prescot House Dental Surgery said: "We are sorry this incident caused so much upset.

"We appreciate it is a guide dog but it is still an animal.

"She is welcome to come here but we would give her an appointment at the end of the day for infection control reasons."