New NHS dental practice to open in Rochdale

Roch Valley Dental Practice

A new NHS dental practice is set to open on Roch Valley Way later this month, creating an additional 9,500 places for new patients.

Named the Roch Valley Dental Practice, at full capacity it will accommodate four/five new NHS dentists. The practice has been developed as part of a £1.3 million investment by NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale to improve access to NHS dentistry in the borough.

It will provide general dental care and treatment including dentures, fillings, crowns and bridges, root canal treatment, preventative treatment and oral health advice. Places will first be allocated to those already on a waiting list and then on a first-come, first-served basis.

John Pierce, Chairman of NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, formally opened the new practice: “This new practice will help more people in Rochdale to see an NHS dentist and improve their oral health. The stand alone facility is spacious and modern and a welcome addition to Rochdale’s NHS dental offering.

“Whilst I’m sure that the new practice will provide a huge amount of relief to patients wanting NHS dentistry, it will not be possible to accommodate everyone but every effort will be made to meet the needs of our patients.”

Practice partner and dentist, Matthew Whittingham, said: “It’s taken quite a long time and hard work to get to this point so we are really pleased to be near the finish line. Thanks to the whole team for their support. We’ve already had quite a bit of interest from passers by and have started to build the patient list so I’m sure that we will have great success here.”

Chairman of Rochdale Township, Andrew Abbott, commented: “The practice is a welcome addition to dentistry in Rochdale and a massive boost for the surrounding community. It is impressive to see such an improvement to local NHS dentistry provision.”

NHS HMR opened a new dental practice in Heywood last month, funded a new dentist in a Littleborough practice and has plans to develop new dental services in Middleton. Two new NHS dentists are also practising at Nye Bevan House in Rochdale.