A brave new future for NHS dentistry in Holmfirth

Mar 23 2009 By Nick Lavigueur

THE Holmfirth Dental Surgery has moved from an old terraced house to £½m state-of-the-art premises.

The new facilities, in the grounds of the Oaklands Health Centre, in the Holme Valley Memorial Hospital complex, were designed from scratch to offer hi-tech facilities for the practice’s dentists and more comfortable surroundings for patients.

The practice has already taken on 300 additional NHS patients – and is looking to increase this number. There are also plans to provide orthodontics and minor oral health surgery to ease the pressure on local hospitals.

Kirklees NHS chief executive Mike Potts said: "This development will improve access to NHS dentistry by providing treatment closer to home. This supports the national guidance on improving dental access, quality and oral health, alongside the NHS Kirklees oral health strategy."

The NHS dental services in the valley were saved from the axe after funding for the new practice was secured.

Plans to relocate the Huddersfield Road surgery to the new £½m building at the Oaklands were passed without a hitch in October 2007. But Dr Garritt, had warned that free NHS services could be lost if he could not come to an agreement with Kirklees Primary Care Trust.