Chief dental officer, Sara Hurley, has officially opened the new Plymouth University Exeter Dental Education Facility, which will become one of four specialized training centers in the South West. The center will offer high quality care for NHS patients, and provide aspiring dentists with the opportunity to train and learn in a supported environment.
The new facility, which is managed by the Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise, will provide education and training for Plymouth University students, as well as offering post graduate opportunities for professionals to gain further qualifications. The center consists of forty-two dental chairs, more than double the amount of the previous facilities, and boasts a state-of-the-art simulated learning environment with ‘smart dummies.’There is also a dedicated team of employees in place to engage with local communities, providing education and guidance on good dental health.
Exeter MP, Ben Bradshaw, attended the official opening and was quoted on dentistry.co.uk, “The dental school has been a valuable asset for Exeter in recent years and it is wonderful to see it in such a fantastic, brand-new setting.” The previous center was based within Heavitree Hospital, which opened in 2008, and has provided care to around eighteen thousand NHS patients from the Devon and Cornwall areas.