Having lobbied the Government on the urgent need for more dentistry school places in Norfolk, Terry Jermy MP has welcomed the Labour Government’s announcement of 50 new Government-funded dentistry school places, marking the first increase since 2007.
Today, the Government has confirmed to the Chair of the Office for Students (OfS) an increase in the maximum fundable limit for dental school places in England, expanding the number of places from 809 to 859.
Last month, Terry Jermy MP spoke in a debate about dentistry in Parliament, calling for the Government to do everything possible to expedite a proposal by the University of East Anglia to open a new dental school in Norwich, which would serve the eastern region.
Further to today’s increase in the number of places, the Government has requested the OfS prioritise this expansion for new dental schools approved by the General Dental Council that do not currently receive government funding for places.
The University of East Anglia’s proposal for a new dental school is currently approved by the General Dental Council, and today’s announcement by the government is a positive step in the proposal being realised.
Known as the ‘Sahara of dental deserts’, Norfolk has been one of the worst-impacted regions of the dentistry crisis. Towards the end of last year, Terry Jermy MP met with the Vice Chancellor of the University of East Anglia, Professor David Maguire, and the Dean of Health Services, Professor Chris Burton, to discuss plans for the dentistry school which the university is ready to hit the ground running to deliver.
Terry Jermy MP said: “Today’s announcement will help address the recruitment issues we face in the region and help to tackle the dental desert we are currently in following years of inaction by the last Conservative Government.
“We are the only region in the UK with no dental school which severely impacts the availability of dentists, as evidence shows many dentists often stay close to where they train. This Labour Government recognises the importance of a dental school in Norfolk and I am delighted with today’s announcement which will go far in fixing the region’s dentistry crisis.”
