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New education clinic gets official opening
21st Jul 2009
Lord Colwyn, centre, with Dr Gill Jones, associate director of undergraduate studies and Professor Liz Kay, dean of the Peninsula Dental School with clinical staff from the school’s Devonport dental education facility
The Peninsula Dental School dental education clinic at Devonport, Plymouth, was recently officially opened by Lord Colwyn.
Lord Colwyn practised as a dentist from 1965 to 2005 and is deputy speaker of the House of Lords and vice chair of the House of Lords Dentistry Group.
The Devonport Dental Education Clinic opened its doors to patients on 28 April this year.
It is the first purpose-built dental education facility in the UK for 30 years, the last being built in Cardiff in 1979. The Peninsula Dental School is the first new dental school to have opened in 40 years.
The new facility has 40 dental chairs arranged in five bays of eight, plus three single chair bays. It also includes seminar rooms and an IT suite along with a laboratory where students will learn clinical skills for procedures such as casting models, adjusting dentures and making mouth guards.
A range of dental care is available free of charge from dental students under the supervision of a qualified dental tutor, and patients should allow more time for their appointment because of this.
Treatments and services include:
• Dental check-ups, oral examination and diagnosis including X-rays
• Advice for preventing tooth decay and gum disease including tooth brushing and oral hygiene instruction, dietary advice and the application of sealants that protect the surfaces of teeth
• Assessment and treatment of gum disease
• Fillings and extractions
The Dental Education Clinic is primarily an NHS training clinic for dental students. Should a patient require a treatment that is currently not provided by dental students, they will be treated at the Dental Education Clinic by qualified dental staff or referred to other the dental units in the city.
Lord Colwyn praised the Peninsula Dental School and its partners, including the Devonport Regeneration Community Partnership, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, NHS Plymouth, the University of Plymouth and the University of Exeter, for the meticulous and imaginative planning that has produced not only a fresh and innovative approach to dentistry, but also the buildings required to support the community ethos of the Peninsula Dental School and the dentists it trains.
Professor Liz Kay, dean of the Peninsula Dental School, commented: 'We are delighted that Lord Colwyn, who is a respected figure in the world of dentistry, officially opened our Devonport Dental Education Clinic. My thanks go to him, and to my colleagues and our partners who have worked so hard to make the Dental Education Clinic such a success. It is being very well received within Devonport, and it is providing our students with vital first hand contact with NHS patients.'
Professor Wendy Purcell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Plymouth said: 'As a key partner in the Peninsula Dental School, the University of Plymouth is committed to leading transformational change in the city and region. I consider that this new facility will play a vital role in furthering the regeneration of the city of Plymouth as well as offering free community access to an important health service.'
Emily Street, strategic dental commissioning manager for NHS Plymouth said: 'We are extremely proud to have worked with the Dean and her colleagues and are delighted with the state of the art facilities in which students are learning and treating patients in Devonport.'
Ann Leaves, DRC Partnership Board Member, said: 'The people of Devonport are delighted that part of the Peninsular Dental School is based here. It's not always easy to get access to dental care and to have the dental education facility here is Devonport is great. I know a lot of local residents have already booked appointments.'
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