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Ten thousand NHS places announced for Wales

The Welsh government has pledged to spend an additional £1.3 million on dental services. (Photograph: Natanael Ginting/Shutterstock)

Thu. 10 August 2017

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CARDIFF, UK: Up to 10,000 new NHS dental posts are planned to be created in Wales, the national government announced on Tuesday. As part of the investment, over £0.75 million will be given to the Cardiff and Vale University and Aneurin Bevan University health boards, it also said.

Overall, the Welsh government has pledged to spend an additional £1.3 million on dental services. In a press release, Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said that the effort is aimed at developing new and improved NHS dental services across Wales, particularly in places with higher needs and neglected areas, such as specialist paediatric dental services.

“The investment in specialist paediatric dentistry will help improve NHS dental treatment and care for those children who are affected by dental disease,” he said.

In addition to increased spending, the government said it pßlans to introduce a clinically led dental e-referral management system and fund courses and training for people who intend to work as dental care professionals.

According to national statistics, Wales falls significantly short of dentists per capita among all of the home nations. While it welcomed the investment, the British Dental Association said it is insufficient, as millions are taken away from dentistry each year owing to tough contract targets.

“This money represents just a quarter of what’s been taken out of the system each year. Creative accounting does not constitute new investment. The best thing the Welsh Government could do is commit to ensure all money set aside for dentistry is actually spent on improving the oral health of children and adults in Wales,” said Katrina Clarke, Chair of the BDA Wales General Dental Practice Committee.

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