£1.5m boost for training school in 'dental desert'

Plans for a dental school in Norfolk have moved forward with a promise of £1.5m in funding.

The Greater Norwich Growth Board has agreed to provide the money to the University of East Anglia (UEA).

UEA's vice chancellor Prof David Maguire said it was "an important step in our bid to deliver undergraduate dental training".

It was hoped a training facility would lead to more dentists practising in the county where many patients have struggled to get NHS appointments, with the health secretary describing Norfolk as "the Sahara of dental deserts".

Earlier this year, Wes Streeting told MPs there were "only 36 dentists per 100,000 people" in Norfolk and Waveney, compared with the national average of 53.

Last year more than 1,000 people had to attend Norfolk's casualty departments because their dental issues were so serious.

The UEA said the School of Oral Health would cost £3m in total, with it providing the other half of the money. It planned to open it next year.

The hope was graduates from the school would be more inclined to work in Norfolk, helping practices to recruit.

The Growth Board, which includes representatives of Norfolk, Norwich, Broadland and South Norfolk councils, approved funding towards the project on Thursday afternoon.

Prof Maguire said the decision was "great news".

"Providing dental training here in Norwich will be a positive move towards helping local people get the care they need."

Earlier this week, Labour health minister Baroness Merren told the House of Lords that while the government would not have the final say on a dental school, she would "encourage the University of East Anglia to take its proposals to the General Dental Council".

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