Plans are underway to transform a former Plymouth City Council office into a new dental practice aimed at serving NHS patients. The Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE), affiliated with the University of Plymouth, has secured a 20-year lease for the site, previously known as The First Stop Shop, located on New George Street.
The proposed changes include reconfiguring the building’s interior to create a Dental Education Practice with 14 treatment rooms. These facilities will facilitate training for both students and qualified dentists, addressing the urgent dental care needs of the community. Treatment rooms and x-ray facilities will occupy the ground and first floors, while the second floor will house welfare and plant spaces. Until December 2024, the building was utilized as an office space featuring meeting rooms and break-out areas.
Once operational, the new practice will provide appointments and an oral surgery service, enabling up to 16 final-year dental students from the Peninsula Dental School to work alongside experienced clinicians. This initiative aims to deliver urgent care to patients lacking regular NHS dental services, particularly those experiencing pain, infection, or trauma. The establishment of this practice is expected to alleviate some of the significant demand for dental care in Plymouth, where long waiting lists persist across NHS providers.
Prof. Robert Witton, CEO of PDSE and a professor of community dentistry at the university, expressed pride in their commitment to offering exceptional clinical experiences to students while meeting community needs. He noted that this new clinic could significantly enhance access to dental care in the South West, marking PDSE’s fifth location in Devon and Cornwall.
Plymouth City Council planners will now review the proposal, which includes plans for a new shopfront, fencing, re-rendering work, air conditioning units, roof modifications, alterations to roof lights, and other associated improvements necessary for the dental practice’s operation.
