Young people in Tyneside could soon have a smile on their face following the appointment of a new orthodontist in the region.
Local paper the Shields Gazette reported waiting times to see a dentist in the region had previously been up at 146 weeks for orthodontic treatment such as clear braces.
However, the appointment of this new orthodontist will help to cut these times to just over 100 weeks.
Select committee for children and young people chairman Ernest Gibson told the paper: "Orthodontics can help to prevent problems in teeth. But just as important as that, is the boost to self-esteem a better smile can provide."
He added that the committee has witnessed a reduction in the amount of time young people are now waiting for treatment. However, despite these improvements, he still feels the length of time is unacceptable.
Meanwhile, the MyDentalOffice blog recently noted that children should be taught good oral hygiene from a young age in order to avoid the need for emergency dentist trips.
