Huge queues expected (From Gazette Series)

Huge queues expected

AN EXPANDING dental practice in Wotton-under-Edge is expecting around 800 people to turn up when they hold a registration day for NHS patients at the end of the month.

Chipping Manor Dental Practice will be moving to the former Goldinghams premises, in Long Street, in September, enabling them to take on more patients.

They have employed David Stephens, who will qualify from Cardiff University in the summer, to cope with the demand for services.

Dentist Phil Loughnane said: "We are having a complete move once we have planning permission and we hope that will be in September - it would be ideal. We are really looking forward to having David here."

The registration session is being held on Saturday, April 30 (9.30am-12.30pm).

Mr Loughnane continued: "People should just turn up on the day. Everyone here is going to be working on that day - we will have five computers to register people and two members of staff on every computer.

"We don't know how many people are going to turn up but we can take 800 new patients. If it went really well we would be able to take another dentist on and that would be really exciting for us."

The move to new premises and taking on extra patients is not the only good news for the practice.

Hygienist Donna Cline has been short-listed for Hygienist of the Year at the Dental Awards 2005 and she will be attending the ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, on Friday, April 22.

Mr Loughnane said: "We don't know if she is going to win but it is great for her to be short-listed.

"She was nominated by a patient who was about to get married. She had a lot of treatment from Donna and felt she had been treated really well and that Donna had treated her above what she expected.

"Donna is touched that she has been nominated by a patient and her work is helping the practice to grow because she is so good."

The practice also offers specialist treatments to NHS patients privately including Ozone Treatment, which treats tooth decay without drilling, and offering nitrous oxide.

Mr Loughnane added: "One of the things about being an NHS patient is that you can chose to have individual treatments done privately. They can still be an NHS patient but they can chose other treatment options and be treated at different times."