Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month as it looks to prepare for the next decade of social impact.

PDSE has played a vital role in the training of the next generation of dental professionals, offering genuine, first-hand, real-world experience that’s become so important to the development of the profession regionally. The University of Plymouth’s Peninsula Dental School students provide the majority of the patient treatments while being supervised by a team of qualified dentists and supported by a dedicated team of dental nurses, hygiene therapists and clinical support workers.

The aim of the organisation has always been to improve the oral health of the community across their Dental Education Facilities in Devon and Cornwall, supporting the most vulnerable by keeping them out of hospital and reducing the burden on the NHS budget at the same time.

PDSE is committed to improving oral health in the South West through provision of treatment, education and engagement and across the past 10 years they have made an impressive impact on local communities. Through its status as a Community Interest Company, it has reinvested £2.5m back into the community. It has been responsible for 636 dental graduates with the University of Plymouth and has supported 269 Community Groups with oral healthcare messages.

In addition, PDSE has helped 39,596 children with oral health education, encouraging learnt behaviours as the basis for staying healthy in the future. But the most direct impact has been the treatment of over 50,000 patients through Dental Education facilities in Plymouth, Exeter and Truro.

Commenting on the milestone, PDSE Chief Executive, Professor Robert Witton, said: “We are immensely proud of the impact that we’ve made on so many people over the past 10 years. Our great work here in the peninsula is now seen as an inspirational model across the UK and overseas. Here’s to the next decade.”