New NHS Dental Practice Opens In Swanage

Sample News Big

A new NHS dental practice has opened in Swanage; the new practice has opened its doors to the public, 14 months after the town’s only surgery stopped providing NHS dental care.

Members of staff, dignitaries and representatives from the NHS attended the official opening of Social Care in Action Trafalgar practice in Kings Road West, Swanage.

Mandy Mason, a local resident, welcomed the news; she was angered by the closure of NHS services in the town last year and spearheaded a campaign to bring NHS dental care back to Swanage. She collected 1,500 signatures on a petition and said that it was “great news” that Swanage now has an NHS dental practice again.

The residents of Swanage were angry when the town’s only practice, The Regency Dental Practice, stopped treating NHS patients in April 2012. Practice owner, Andrew Thomas, said that it had been a difficult decision to go private, but increased constraints on NHS provision had become difficult to handle and the decision was made.

Residents protested against the shutdown of NHS services and a temporary service located in a mobile unit, was launched in Swanage; the service was able to provide local people with dental care while the NHS started to look for a full-time dentist.

Chief dental officer for England, Barry Cockcroft, attended the ceremony on Friday.

The practice has been awarded a 20 year contract to provide NHS dental care in Swanage and is currently taking on new patients; anyone who is interested in registering with the practice is encouraged to call 01929 427 356.

Join this Discussion

Comments are closed.