UK’s First Private Dental School To Open In A Cinema
A new private dental school is set to open in a cinema; the Leicester Dental Teaching Academy will open in the city’s Phoenix Cinema in September. The school will be the first private dental school to open in the UK.
The first intake of students at the dental school, which is validated by the University of Buckingham, will attend classes at the Phoenix Cinema while construction continues on the permanent site of the school, which is located next door.
Representatives from the school said that for the first few years, students will focus on academic work and a dedicated centre will be built next door to the cinema to provide practical training facilities for students.
The school will charge a total of £176,000 for the five year degree programme, with students emerging with a degree in Dentistry from the University of Buckingham.
John Rance, chief executive of Phoenix, said that there have been significant cuts in funding for the arts and renting some of the available space at the cinema out would generate much-needed income. Phoenix also insisted that the deal was a commercial venture, which would have no bearing on the arts.
Professor Stuart Morganstein, dean of dentistry, said that Leicester was a suitable choice for the location of the new school, as students will need to develop their skills by treating patients and Leicester has the right population and demographics to provide students with clinical training; he said that volunteers would be able to come forward to receive treatment from final year students in the future, which would reduce costs for patients and provide students with hands-on experience.
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