Approval likely for dental school

Students will work in the community as well as the classrooms

Plans for a new dental school in the South West are set to be approved.

Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust wants to build the new Peninsula Dental School in the Devonport area of Plymouth.

The trust says hundreds of people could be treated by students and more qualified dentists could be practising in Cornwall and Devon in the future.

Planning officers have recommended the application is approved, although the trust may be asked to contribute £15,000 to upgrade nearby bus stops.

Training in community

The new dental school was approved by the Department of Health in January last year.

It will have places for 62 students who already hold a degree or who are mature students with a healthcare background.

Students will carry out much of their training in the community and not in the classroom.

Thousands of people living in Devon and Cornwall do not have access to an NHS Dentist.