Accrington dentists' academy to solve East Lancashire shortage

6:44pm Wednesday 21st May 2008

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By Camilla Sutcliffe »

ONE of the UK's first dental training schools in 100 years is set to open in East Lancashire in a bid to solve the area's shortage of dentists.

The £2.2 million Oak House NHS Dental Centre, next to the new Accrington Pals health centre, Paradise Street, will open to 29 dental therapy students at the end of the month, while eight further students will begin training to become fully-qualified dentists there in September.

The centre includes four purpose-built dental surgeries in place of the old ones at the Accrington Victoria Hospital site, and is the new base for emergency out-of-hours dentistry.

It is part of a project between the Preston-based University of Central Lancashire and the Universities of Liverpool, Lancaster, and Cumbria, together with East Lancashire Primary Care Trust and the North West Strategic Health Authority.

The course is based at the Preston "hub", with students going to the new schools in Accrington, Carlisle, Blackpool and Morecambe for parts of their training.

A group of 32 students will start the new four-year post-graduate course at Preston, with eight of them studying at Accrington, while also carrying out on-the-job training in dental surgeries throughout East Lancashire.

The area has struggled to attract new dentists over the last few years, leading to a big shortage of places with NHS practices.

Waiting lists are still long for people in Burnley and Pendle, and it is hoped that dentists who train in East Lancashire will take up NHS posts in the area.

The dental therapists, who are not fully-qualified dentists but can carry out the dental work needed by most people, will be given posts at surgeries in East Lancashire.

Hilary Whitehead, clinical director for Blackburn and East Lancashire Community Dental Services, said: "It's a very exciting and positive move forward.

"Everyone knows the difficulties we have experienced in trying to give a full NHS service to residents in East Lancashire.

"We have made major strides forward and now we are setting up of this new dental school, one of the first to be set up in Britain for more than a 100 years.

"It is a real symbol of progress for NHS dentistry in East Lancashire."

David Peat, Chief Executive of East Lancashire PCT, said: "We are delighted and proud to have played a part in getting this new dental school up and running.

"We see this as a major opportunity to train our own NHS dentists of the future, while helping local people as the trainee dentists do their supervised practical work."

East Lancashire residents wishing to access an NHS dentist must ring NHS Direct on 0845-46-47 and ask for the East Lancashire Dental Allocation List.