A new NHS dental surgery in Chard, Somerset, is set to open on 2 December. The clinic, located on Leach Road, will be operated by One Smile Dental.
On the first day of patient registrations, the surgery had to pause new applications due to high demand. In a statement, the clinic said it expects to reopen registration in the coming days.
The opening follows closely after another dental surgery launched in Wellington two months ago. Plans are also underway for a new dental service in Crewkerne.
Local MP Adam Dance welcomed the news, calling the opening “a very important step forward for our community.” He said many residents in Chard have long struggled to access NHS dental care.
NHS Somerset’s Integrated Care Board (ICB) has previously said it is working to increase appointments in so-called “dental deserts,” areas where NHS dental services are limited or unavailable.
Mr Dance emphasized that new patients should come from the Chard area. “To make sure this new service goes to the people who need it most, we want new patients to come from Chard, where the need has been identified and access has been so poor,” he said.