NHS Places to Increase

Thousands of extra NHS dental places are to open up in the Exmouth area over the next year.

Within 12 months, a total of 3,100 extra NHS dental places will be available to patients after the Fairfield House surgery and Associated Dental Practice are increasing their numbers.

This is seen as a great step forward in terms of local dental care.

The manager of dental provisions in Devon, Andrew Harris, stated that it is ‘great news’ that more people will be able to see an NHS dentist.

Harris states that work has been put in to ensure that nobody in the area has to wait for an NHS dentist. The new places will go some way to achieving this.

Ann Keen, health minister, says that NHS dentists treat around 250,000 patients each working day. Aims in dentistry mean that everyone should be able to see an NHS dentist, if they want to, by March 2011.

Results should be seen after over £2 billion has been invested in NHS dentistry. This has led to more dental practices across the country, expanding practices and a larger number of places available.

In general, access to NHS dentistry is beginning to increase. However, patients will still need to be able to fund their treatments according to NHS cost brackets. Dental insurance is recommended for anyone who wants peace of mind as to what they can afford to protect their health.