£15m boost gives dental services added bite

The two-year refurbishment of Leeds Dental Institute puts it at the forefront of new developments in dental technology, with world-class educational and research facilities.

Experts have hailed its new curriculum and dental mannequin unit as the most innovative and advanced in Europe.

Numbers of students in training have doubled as part of the upgrade which followed 80m in investment nationwide to tackle a chronic shortage of dentists amid heavy criticism of poor access to NHS care.

Institute director Margaret Kellett said: "I am delighted with the improvements. Not only have we increased student numbers but our new curriculum has been recognised as a European standard, with students starting practical work from day one."

Other improvements include the co-location of the walk-in and extraction clinic at the institute while better measures are in place in infection prevention and control.

Training facilities suitable for left-handed dentists have been created, with statistics showing 15 per cent are left-handed – higher than the national average.

Some 1.7m has been spent on installing fully computerised patient records

The institute has also opened two new outreach teaching units in Beeston, Leeds, and Bradford. A third will open in Hull in the next few weeks, with a teaching and learning centre attached.