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Wales welcomes new dental training unit
21st Sep 2009
Rhodri Morgan, Wales, dental teaching unit
A new dental teaching unit has opened in Wales, housing some of the best technology available in dentistry.
The multi-purpose unit in Porth is funded as a joint initiative by the Welsh Assembly Government, Rhondda Cynon Taff Teaching Local Health Board and the School of Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education within Cardiff University.
It will be home to 10 recently qualified dentists after completion of a two-year longitudinal dental foundation training scheme.
A central decontamination unit has been installed in the building to improve infection control, and new technology has been brought over from America and used to fully equip eight dental surgeries.
The newly qualified dentists will work under the guidance of experienced dental surgeons and will benefit from versatile working, electronic charting and digital imaging.
The dental teaching unit also features an air-conditioned conference centre with 120 seating capacity.
A large screen linked to cameras in one of the surgeries will allow members of the dental team to watch live procedures.
After viewing the procedures they can enhance and develop their own skills in a specialised dental training room fully equipped with 18 individual work stations with phantom heads.
First Minister Rhodri Morgan said: ‘This dental training unit will be the first of its kind in Wales and it will make a significant difference to the quality of our dentistry. Not only will it provide invaluable training for our future and current dentists, it will improve access to dentistry in the area so that every patient will have access to a dentist. This is a real red letter day for dental patients and trainee dentists in Wales.'
This surgery is also equipped with a surgical operating microscope allowing extreme close up images of the root canal systems of teeth. Senior dental surgeon, Jeremy Hayes, will use this microscope to provide specialist endodontic treatment for patients of the dental teaching unit along with referrals from local practitioners under the terms of the NHS dental services.
The dental postgraduate section within the School of Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education has been instrumental in bringing these ambitious plans for dentistry in Wales to fruition.
Alan Griffiths, dental programme director, says: ‘This dental teaching unit will provide our newly qualified dentists with an invaluable opportunity to begin their careers in dentistry. This is the start of a promising career pathway in an environment where they can gain practical experience and benefit from high-tech operating and learning tools.'
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