Mydentist confirms closure of Norwich practice
Mydentist has confirmed the impending closure of its Norwich city centre practice.
The chain announced that the clinic in Goat Lane will close permanently on December 31st. The news has left patients anxiously trying to find an alternative provider.
There is already an extensive dental access crisis in the East of England with a severe shortage of NHS dentists making it increasingly hard to get an appointment. Many practices have already closed or stopped NHS services leaving patients without access to NHS treatment.
Staff from the practice said that it had been impossible to recruit new dental professionals, which means that it will no longer be possible to keep the clinic running. NHS patients who don’t want to go private have been advised to call other practices in the area to see if there are places available. Those who don’t have a practice and require urgent care can call NHS 111.
City and county councillor, Jamie Osborn, described the news as “incredibly concerning” and said that it would be a source of worry for patients who will now have to join waiting lists because there are no available NHS places in Norfolk. The area is one of the worst affected in terms of dentist to patient ratios. There are private places available, but most people can’t afford to cover the costs, especially during a cost of living crisis. Mr Osborn, from the Green Party, urged the government to take action to “resolve the shortage of dentists and reform NHS contracts.”
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