Paediatric dentistry focus for Derriford hospital

Too many children have fillings that could be avoided

Paediatric dentistry is being developed at Derriford Hospital because of the high number of local children with fillings.

University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) NHS Trust is investing in two new roles which will involve a teaching element.

Interim chief executive of the UHP NHS Trust Mark Hackett told a board meeting that a third of children under five in “this part of the world” had avoidable fillings.

“We are looking to invest and we are doing that in conjunction with Bristol Children’s Hospital which is part of building our paediatric surgery and has to be the right thing,” he said.

UHP has the only dedicated children’s surgical unit in the south west, outside of Bristol Children’s Hospital, and only one of two in the country.

Mr Hackett said the recent official recognition as an accredited hub for paediatrics was “a significant milestone for our organisation”.

The Integrated Health Board (ICB) has been working with UHP, Plymouth City Council, and Plymouth University’s Peninsula Dental School to improve access for children to NHS dental services following the instigation of the Dental Task Force.

A “game-changing” £5 million city centre dental clinic is planned for the former First Stop Shop in the city’s New George Street where patients in need to urgent dental care will be treated.

There are nearly 23,000 people on an NHS dental waiting list in Plymouth and since the task force was set up hundreds of Key Stage 1 and 2 children unable to access an NHS dentist have been offered appointments by the university’s clinical partner, Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE).

The pilot scheme was initially offered to Whitleigh Primary School following a local campaign. There are also other initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of teeth cleaning to children.

Non-executive director of the trust board Nick Ball said education is the key to saving “bucketloads” of cash on dental treatment in the long term.