A NEW Oxford dental surgery will be signing up 7,000 new patients on the NHS from next month.

Health officials have commissioned the new practice at the Leys Health Centre in Blackbird Leys – three years after the medical building opened – because they believe the area is in need of more dentists.

An Oxfordshire NHS Primary Care Trust spokesman said: “The development of the Leys Dental Practice is part of our plans to develop services in areas of health inequality and the delivery of dental provision for the most vulnerable of our residents, as they’re at most risk from poor oral health.”

The announcement of the Leys service follows an expansion of dental services at Bury Knowle Health Centre, in Headington, which can take up to 16,000 patients.

Oxford East MP Andrew Smith welcomed the new service. He said: “This increased access to NHS dentistry is very good news.

“When the new Leys Health Centre was opened three years ago, it was always hoped to have NHS dentistry there.

“It will help meet a big need in Blackbird Leys, Greater Leys and surrounding areas.

“Investment like this is important in addressing the health inequalities in the city, and will be especially valuable for elderly people, local children and people with disabilities.”

The contract for the new practice has been awarded to Northampton-based dental company Rodericks, which also has branches in Wallingford and Banbury.

Nicky Wadely, the PCT's deputy head of primary care contracted services, said it would be a significant step forward in improving access to NHS dental services in the Leys area.

She added: “We’re delighted to be able to offer the local population access to this new dental service and we look forward to more residents taking the opportunity to see an NHS dentist.”

The PCT has also announced it is planning new dental services for Banbury, Wantage and Witney.

  • In January this year, of 80 NHS dentist pratices in Oxfordshire, only 24 of them had the capacity to take on new patients.

And of the 22 NHS dentists in Oxford city, only six were able to take on new patients.

An Oxfordshire PCT spokesman said things were gettIng better.

He said: “There are 80 NHS dentist practices in Oxfordshire. Now 30 of them have the capacity to take on new patients, excluding Leys Dental Practice.

“Of the 22 NHS dental practices in Oxford, 13 can take on new patients and this is improving on a weekly basis.”

Barbara Pearsey, clinic manager for Eurodental, in Headington, agreed the NHS dental ‘crisis’ is not what it was.

She said: “We opened a few months ago and we thought people would be queueing up to register.

“But things must have got better, because we still have the capacity to take on a further 4,000 patients.”