Chard dental practice to close amid ‘challenges recruiting clinicians’

The {my}dentist branch in Fore Street will shut on Friday, March 31. The practice says it will contact customers to “inform them of the changes”.

Patients with appointments scheduled until the closure date should attend as usual. 

The three-surgery practice provides private and NHS dentistry including check-ups, fillings, root canal work, removing teeth and fitting crowns, dentures and bridges.

A spokesperson for {my}dentist said: “In common with many dental practices across the country, we have faced significant challenges in recruiting clinicians.

“Unfortunately, as a result, our practice on Fore Street in Chard will close on March 31.

“We’re in contact with patients to inform them of the changes and urge those with appointments in the meantime to attend the practice as usual.”

The {my}dentist practice is located at 32 Fore Street in Chard. (Image: Google Street View)

In response to the closure, Marcus Fysh, the MP for Yeovil, said: “Access to NHS dentists is something I have been lobbying the government on for some time now and structural changes are coming, as well as the recruitment and training of more dentists.

“I will continue to press for more NHS appointments in the area to be available as soon as possible.

“I know lots of residents are concerned with the background of some new housing developments being planned for the area and would encourage the local authorities to be more mindful of such infrastructure when considering applications.”

The closure announcement comes soon after a Chard GP practice, Springmead Surgery, said it will shut permanently on February 24. 

Patients will automatically be transferred to Ariel Healthcare, located on Fore Street.

Read more: Chard and Ilminster residents unable to register with dentist amid NHS shortage 

What has the NHS said?

NHS England (South West) says it is working with partners to improve access to NHS dentistry for patients in the region amid high demand and workforce shortages. 

A spokesperson said: “We are aware that access to NHS dentistry in Somerset is challenging, and we are working had to try and improve the situation for residents; engaging local dental clinicians, their representatives and partners, including NHS Somerset, as part of our wider South West Dental Reform programme, to offer practical support to enable dental practices to take on more NHS dentistry in the area.

“In the south west, as it is across the country, the pressures on NHS primary care dental teams is severe, with workforce shortages, high demand and a backlog to address.

“Unfortunately, due to these ongoing pressures, some practices have felt unable to continue to operate as NHS dentists.

“In Somerset, we have 68 NHS dental practices and recently procured additional capacity in Wellington which is currently in its mobilisation phase, having recently secured its premises, which aims to open in the early summer.”

The spokesperson outlined the other measures the NHS is putting in place to increase dental access for patients across the south west: 

• Since September 2021 we have commissioned additional urgent dental care appointments that people can access by calling NHS 111 with an urgent dental need. There are an additional 562 appointments every week across the South West, with 93 of these in the Somerset area.
• Extra appointments for those who seek urgent dental care and who have a number of dental issues that need addressing as part of unscheduled dental care.
• There are seven dental helplines across the South West. Patients can access the helpline direct using a local telephone number or call NHS 111 and are then put through to the dental helpline where possible or are given the dental helpline number to call, where call transfer is not possible. In Somerset, we are also trialling a pilot helpline which has recently been commissioned that incorporates Dental Clinical Nurse triage.
• We are also taking part in a national pilot called ‘Child Friendly Dental Practices’ where the oral health needs of children and young people are prioritised. A referral based service is available for Somerset residents via a practice in Devizes, Wiltshire.
• We are supporting an oral health improvement initiative called First Dental Steps where health visitors and midwives are trained to give oral health care advice to families with children under two and have oral health care packs (toothbrushes and toothpaste) to give to families in need and hope to have this in place later this year – this scheme will be introduced in Somerset in the next few months, as local discussions with Health Visiting Teams in Local Authorities are currently underway.
• We continue to work to secure additional urgent care provision that patients can also access via NHS111.
• Finally, there are eight sessions of Stabilisation per week in Somerset equating to about 48 appointments providing a definitive treatment to patients requiring urgent care.

You can find your nearest dentist by visiting the NHS website.