Blackpool’s Centre for Dentistry to close by end of August due to ‘high costs’

The Centre for Dentistry, which is based in Sainsbury’s on Talbot Road, will close its doors at the end of August as it says the cost of staying in the supermarket is too high.

Jen Macey, head of marketing at Centre for Dentristry, which owns 24 practices across the country, said: “We have had a consultation regarding the future viability of the practice and we have made the difficult decision to close.

“The costs of staying in Blackpool are very high. The rates in Sainsbury’s are much more expensive than they would be on the high street.

“We are liasing with patients and staff in the most appreopriate way possible.”

Centre for Dentistry patients in Blackpool will be invited to attend the company’s existing surgery on Flintoff Way, Preston, where many of the Talbot Road surgery’s staff will be transferred upon its closure in two months time.

Patients will be allowed to continue on their whatever plan they are currently paying for, and may be able to continue seeing their current dentist.

In a letter sent to patients, the company promised ‘we will do our utmost to complete any outstanding treatment’.

Ms Macey said: “We are doing our very best. We understand that travel to Preston may not be for everybody, but it’s just half an hour down the road.

“We have sent emails and letters to our patients and when people have been coming in our team have been speaking to them individually. We will ensure continuity of care wherever possible, whether that be in Preston or Leigh.”

She said there may be ‘one or two’ redundancies as a result of the Talbot Road closure, but that ‘a lot of people’ would be moving over.

The company also plans to close its Cardiff surgery by the end of August, and merge its two London practices into one.