New scheme launched to train more dentists in Blackpool

The town’s hospital is one of the first to take part in a special programme to train paediatric dentists, in a move which it is hoped will help increase the number of people taking up the role.

Lisa Clarke has taken up the position of speciality trainee in paediatric dentistry at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, which is a three-year full-time programme. The role is the first of its kind in the North West.

She chose the route after trying out different areas of dentistry first.

Lisa said: “During my rotations I enjoyed the challenge of working with children, the variety of care and its rewarding nature.”

Chris Baxter, head of specialist dental services, said while there has always been a community dental service for children, it was the first time it had been able to train future specialists.

Hannah Walsh, who is in charge of the new training programme, added: “Having a specialist-led service locally means that care will be more accessible for families in the area, without needing to travel to large dental hospitals.”

The most recently published Public Health figures show around a third of five-year-olds in Blackpool have dental decay which is significantly higher than the England average of under a quarter.

Figures also show 78.6 per cent of Blackpool children admitted to hospital for tooth extraction in 2019/20 were aged under 11 years.

Measures to improve oral health among children include a supervised brushing scheme run by Blackpool Better Start, the early years support service in the town.

It provides nurseries and childminders with training and equipment to help teach youngsters how to brush their teeth properly.

The Blackpool Teaching Hospital Trust’s specialist dental services offer a range of community-based support to patients, who, due to personal circumstances are not able to access services from general dental practices.

The specialist-led services provided include special care dentistry, sedation dentistry, paediatric dentistry, and emergency dentistry, at sites across the Fylde Coast and North Lancashire.