A new specialist dental clinic has opened its doors in Altrincham. The facility is operated by Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
This clinic is designed to help patients who cannot receive treatment from a regular NHS family dentist due to medical, physical, or psychological conditions.
Located at the Altrincham Health and Wellbeing Centre, the clinic includes modern treatment rooms and advanced dental technology, such as on-site X-ray equipment.
Nikhil Khashu, chief executive officer of Bridgewater Community Healthcare, said the new clinic allows patients to receive all their dental care in one place. He added, “Many patients feel anxious about dental visits. Having everything under one roof helps reduce their stress.”
He also highlighted the benefit of the latest dental technology, saying, “With equipment like X-rays on site, we can offer a smoother and more efficient service, which greatly helps the people we care for. I am very pleased to be part of this celebration.”
The clinic operates as a ‘one-stop shop’ for dental services. Patients are referred by dentists, general practitioners, or other health and social care professionals.
One of the clinic’s first patients, 10-year-old Daisy Chapman from Sale, came for treatment of a painful filling.
Daisy’s mother, Amanda Charnock, shared her experience: “Daisy was worried about her treatment because of the pain. But the dental staff were wonderful. They told her stories to distract her and explained all the equipment they were using. They made sure she felt involved and comfortable. I’ve never seen care like that before. It was amazing to see how they looked after my child.”
Daisy said, “I like coming to the dentist now because I get to know what is happening. It’s fun to learn about the equipment, especially the chair. The dentist and staff were really kind.”
Martyn Taylor, chair of the trust, expressed pride in the new facility. He said, “We are happy to offer such an advanced healthcare centre to our dental patients. At Bridgewater Community Healthcare, we focus on personalised care that meets each patient’s unique needs.”
