Plymouth Dental Education Practice Achieves Three Month Milestone
After opening three months ago in Plymouth city centre, our new Dental Education Practice is already making a meaningful difference for patients struggling to access urgent dental care.
Since welcoming our first patients on 9 February 2026, the practice has delivered more than 2300 dental appointments, including treating people for urgent care referred through NHS 111 with issues such as pain, infection and dental trauma.
The service, run by Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE) in partnership with the University of Plymouth, is designed to help address the growing demand for urgent dental care while also providing valuable hands-on experience for the next generation of dental professionals.
The practice brings together dental students, Foundation Dentists, qualified Dental Therapists and Dentists, and highly skilled Dental Nurses, all working collaboratively within a carefully supervised and patient-centred environment. This multidisciplinary model ensures patients receive high-quality treatment while the students develop the clinical confidence and professional skills needed for their future careers.
Designed to simulate a real dental practice within an accessible city-centre setting, the facility offers a fundamentally different teaching experience from a traditional large teaching clinic. Students and trainees are able to work alongside specialists and qualified clinicians, broadening their experience across a wide range of clinical disciplines and gaining exposure to the collaborative nature of contemporary dental care. This approach supports both exceptional patient outcomes and outstanding educational development. This model reflects Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise’s wider commitment to combining excellent primary dental care with high-quality clinical placement opportunities for students.
“Plymouth graduates are renowned in the workplace, not only for their caring manner and high-quality training, but also for the levels of hands-on clinical experience they have when they qualify.
Our new world-class practice allows specialist and qualified dentists to work with undergraduate and postgraduate students; together they will provide outstanding patient care in an accessible high street setting. And, by working with some of the patients who are in most need of treatment, all of them will broaden their experience across a wide range of clinical disciplines, such as oral surgery and emergency dental care.
I would like to sincerely thank colleagues across the whole University of Plymouth and its Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise for all of their hard work and commitment in bringing this important health care innovation to fruition.” – Ewen McColl, Head of Peninsula Dental School.
“Our new practice is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when education and patient care come together in a truly collaborative environment. Bringing together dental students, Foundation Dentists, qualified Dental Therapists, experienced Clinicians, and Dental Nurses allows us to deliver high-quality care while creating a strong multidisciplinary team that reflects the future of dentistry.
This approach not only supports professional development across the workforce, but also has a real impact on our local community by improving access to dental services and ensuring patients receive safe, compassionate, and comprehensive care close to home. Every appointment delivered represents both better oral health outcomes and an investment in the future of dental care.” – Robert Witton, Chief Executive Officer of PDSE.
The opening of the practice marks an important step in strengthening access to dental services within the local community, while also helping to develop a stronger and more sustainable dental workforce for the future. Find out more about the Dental Education Practice here.
We are incredibly grateful to our patients, staff, and partners for their support during these first three months. Their contribution has helped establish a strong foundation for the practice, and we look forward to continuing to grow, welcoming more patients, and expanding opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students, registered Clinicians, and Dental Nurses alike.
This early success demonstrates the value of our model and strengthens our commitment to improving access to dental care across the region.
