A DENTAL studio has been told it can expand its premises after its boss vowed to help bust “dental deserts”.
Great Horkesley Dental Studio practice manager Lynn Wright said desperate patients are “pulling out their own teeth” as they cannot afford private care.
She claimed “drastic action” taken by people includes “using superglue to stick broken dentures back together”.
Ms Wright pleaded her case to Colchester Council’s planning committee, stating the studio is “committed” to remaining an NHS practice.
The manager wants to expand by merging the premises in Keelers Way to its neighbouring property, increasing the number of treatment rooms from three to five.
The committee members unanimously approved her bid when it was put before them.
Ms Wright said: “Since 2021, almost 2,200 dental practices in England alone have handed back their NHS contracts to become private only, causing dental deserts in some parts of the country.
“[We are] not only committed to remain an NHS practice, we are also proposing to invest in this costly expenditure with the pure aim of improving the local population’s oral health.”
She added: "There are many examples of people being forced into taking drastic action resorting in pulling out their own teeth."
Highways chiefs raised concerns about parking provision at the studio, stating the four spaces would lead to overspill in Keelers Way.
But Colchester Council planning officer Simon Grady said: “The public benefits gained from increasing NHS dentist capacity outweighs the risk to highway safety.”
He told the meeting an informal agreement between Great Horkesley Dental Studio and the Half Butt Inn has been made, allowing surgery patients to use the pub's car park for free.
Mr Grady said further pressure on the dental service is expected if up to 100 new homes are built as part of a live planning application regarding land opposite the studio at Horkesley Manor.
At the moment, it already has a waiting list of more than 400 patients.
Blueprints for the expanded premises show four treatment rooms will be based on the ground floor, with another on the first floor.
The garage on the neighbouring property will be replaced by windows and kitted out for use.
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