Northamptonshire Dentist To Benefit From Cash Injection
The Department of Health has confirmed that £2.75 million will be given to dentists in Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes as part of a cash injection of £30 million to improve dental services nationwide.
The cash boost will allow around 26,000 extra NHS patients to see a dentist and drastically reduce the waiting list for orthodontic treatment; most of the patients currently waiting for treatment are children.
Diane Fenton, head of dentistry and optometry at NHS Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire, welcomed the news. Last year, the region received a funding boost worth just over one million pounds and this enabled 12,000 new NHS patients to see a dentist. This year, with the additional funding, it is hoped that around 26,000 new patients will see an NHS dentist before April next year.
Fenton added that the trust wants to build on the success of last year’s new patient numbers and continue to ensure that dentists are able to see as many patients as possible, while maintaining high standards of care. Oral health is very important and the trust is working with local dentists to promote good oral health and ensure that patients are aware of the services available to them.
Individual surgeries have already started applying to the trust for a share of the cash; plans include extending opening hours, providing weekend and evening appointments and creating new NHS dental places.
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