Dental access improved in Yorkshire

More than 10,000 new NHS dental places will be made available in York and North Yorkshire, it has been announced.

NHS North Yorkshire and York is investing £5m in improving services and cutting the numbers of patients waiting for treatment.

The primary care trust said nearly 11,000 additional dental places would be created in York, 1,500 in the Selby district and 1,000 places in both Ryedale and Craven. This will cost around £1m.

Over 3,000 patients will also gain access to orthodontics, at a cost of £4.1m.

Lorraine Naylor, assistant director of primary care services at NHS North Yorkshire and York, said: “The extra capacity means that current waiting lists, particularly in the York and Selby area, will be vastly reduced.”