UEA dental school bid gets £1.5m boost from Norfolk councils

Council leaders agreed to give the University of East Anglia the money to help create the building at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (N&N) which would house the school.

There have been calls for the school at the UEA to end the "dental desert" which means many in the county have no access to NHS dental treatment.

The Greater Norwich Growth Board, made up of representatives from Norfolk, Norwich, South Norfolk and Broadland councils, rubber stamped the money - generated through a levy on developers - at a meeting on Thursday (November 28).

The Edith Cavell Building at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (Image: Google Street View) The £1.5m will go towards the creation of a £3m School of Oral Health on the second floor of an extension at the Edith Cavell Building at the N&N.

The UEA would provide a further £1.5m from its capital budget for equipment, including nine dentist chairs and specialist teaching facilities.

The UEA's School for Oral Health would be in a new extension of the Edith Cavell Building at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital site (Image: University of East Anglia) READ MORE: Move to add fluoride to Norfolk water triggers concern

Initially, 40 students would be enrolled each year, but the next phase would see an even larger expansion, with another 31 chairs added to enable 65 students a year.

Sue Holland, leader of Broadland District Council (Image: Sue Holland)

Sue Holland, leader of Broadland District Council and chairman of the Greater Norwich Growth Board, said: "The lack of access to a dentist is a real concern for too many of our residents.

"Training dentists locally will provide much needed resources for existing dental practices."

Kay Mason Billig, leader of Norfolk County Council, said: "The county council has been working hard to support UEA’s ambitions for a new School of Oral Health, which is why we brought this proposal to the Greater Norwich Growth Board.

"We are delighted therefore that this investment now has the support of district partners."

Norwich City Council leader Mike Stonard (Image: Norwich City Council)

Norwich City Council leader Mike Stonard said: "I really strongly support this. We have a shortage of dentists, particularly NHS ones in Norfolk and the nearest training facility is a long, long way away."

Prof David Maguire (Image: University of East Anglia)

Prof David Maguire, vice chancellor of the UEA, said:  "This is an important step in our bid to deliver undergraduate dental training at UEA, building on the success of the Norwich Medical School."

The university is talking to the General Dental Council to advance the registration process required for it to start the dental training courses.