New NHS dentist arrives in town

9:10am Friday 21st November 2008

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By Matthew Pardo »

THOUSANDS of people in Swindon could soon benefit from more NHS dental provision in the town.

Clyde House dental practice, which is based in Bath Road, has taken on another dentist.

Antonella Sydonie, who trained at the University of Sheffield, has relocated to the practice from a group practice in Lincolnshire.

And because she has arrived there the practice can now take on an extra 2,000 NHS dental places.

“We are delighted to welcome Antonella to the Clyde House team,” said the group’s area manager Ruth Coleman.

“Her appointment reflects our continued commitment to the NHS to provide the people of Swindon with affordable dental care of the highest standard.

“The places are available on a first come first served basis, so an early call or email is advised to book in for a check up.”

Earlier this year Swindon Primary Care Trust polled residents on the way healthcare was provided in the town.

The access to dental care as an NHS patient was one of the areas that the trust scored poorly on in the survey.

Only 45 per cent of people polled were able to regularly visit a dentist as an NHS patient if they wanted to.

Nationally that figure was 79 per cent.

When new dental contracts were introduced by the Government in March 2007, five of the town’s dentists found themselves without funding.

Within a month nine dental practices in the town had stopped providing any NHS treatment.

Clyde House practice, is part of the Dr Michael Frain LTD group.

The group is Wiltshire’s largest NHS dental care provider, with more than 49,000 registered patients across the county.

The Clyde House practice opened its doors in 1999.

It has four treatment rooms and currently has more than 13,000 registered NHS places.

To register for one of the available places call 01793 611181.

You can also email swindon@drmfrain.co.uk, or write to Clyde House Dental Practice, 42 Bath Road, Swindon, SN1 4AY.