New dental centre to be created

The new centre is expected to treat about 3,500 people in its first year

Work is to start next month on a purpose-built 'teach and treat' dental centre for Forth Valley.

The £875,000 facility, in the Langlees area of Falkirk, will provide seven dental surgeries.

Four of the surgeries will be training chairs for final year students at Glasgow Dental School.

The service, which is expected to treat about 3,500 patients in its first year, will see 16 students rotate through the centre annually.

Derek Richards, NHS Forth Valley consultant in public health, said: "This centre will undoubtedly improve access to NHS dental services in Forth Valley.

"I am sure that students will benefit enormously from the clinical experience they will gain at Langlees and I am hopeful that some will stay in Forth Valley after they graduate."

NHS Forth Valley said work to convert four flats in Langlees into the new dental centre was due to begin on 1 September.

The centre is expected to be fully operational by early next year.

In the meantime the dental students will work from an existing health clinic at Carronshore.

The training facility, developed in collaboration with the University of Glasgow and NHS Education Scotland, is part of the dental action plan by the Scottish Government.