County leading the way with new dental scheme (From Western Telegraph)

County leading the way with new dental scheme

PEMBROKESHIRE led the way last week in efforts to heal the ailing NHS dental service.

Through a unique scheme, piloted by the Pembrokeshire Local Health Board (LHB), dentistry in the county was given a massive boost with the arrival of a new full-time dentist.

Dr Devendra Rajcoomar will be employed by the LHB, through funding from the National Assembly, to provide essential emergency treatment for people who are not registered with an NHS dentist.

"We are the first Local Health Board in Wales to employ a full-time dentist and it will be of enormous benefit to thousands of people locally," explained LHB chairman, Chris Martin. He described the recruitment of Dr Rajcoomar from the West Indies as an exciting development to address short-term dental needs.

"However, as an LHB we must continue to try and actively recruit more dentists into the area to meet the long-term need for our population," he added.

The arrival of Dr Rajcoomar, who will provide ten 'see and treat' sessions, five days a week at Haven Dental Practice in Milford Haven, has been welcomed by the political fraternity.

National Assembly health minister, Dr Brian Gibbons, praised the appointment as 'an innovative approach to a very real problem'.

He said: "Wales, like the rest of the UK, faces a shortage of dentists and the Local Health Board should be congratulated for working in partnership to develop an innovative solution to improve dental provision for patients across Pembrokeshire."

MP Jackie Lawrence said: "I'm delighted to see the Assembly has been able to use flexible thinking to cope with specific local needs. It's tremendous for Pembrokeshire."

Dr Rajcoomar, who has worked for many years in community dentistry, will see patients on an appointment basis only, but patients will not be able to register with him.