Following extensive campaigning with local health authorities, James Wild MP has welcomed the Greater Norwich Growth Board’s decision to allocate £1.5 million to support the creation of a School of Oral Health at the University of East Anglia (UEA). This funding represents an important step towards addressing the shortage of NHS dentists in Norfolk and the East of England.
The funding, drawn from the Infrastructure Investment Fund, will facilitate the construction of a first-floor extension to the Edith Cavell Building at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Campus. Equipped with modernised teaching facilities, the new dental school will include dentist chairs, teaching laboratories, and clinical-grade equipment, providing capacity for 40 undergraduate students annually.
This initiative builds on UEA’s strong track record in retaining graduates in the region, with one-third of its medical school alumni continuing to work locally. By training dentists locally, the school aims to alleviate long waiting lists and improve access to dental care in one of the UK’s most underserved areas for NHS dentistry.
Locally, James has previously worked hard to secure a new dental practise, “Smile”, in Lynn, which opened in 2022, though he recognises that more work needs to be done to overcome chronic shortages in local dental services.
Commenting on the plans, James Wild MP said:
“This is another step towards tackling the lack of NHS dental capacity in Norfolk. By training dentists locally, the School of Oral Health would provide much-needed, tailored resources to meet the demands of our communities. I will continue to support UEA’s efforts to secure approval to begin providing undergraduate training locally.”
