Adrian Ramsay, MP for Waveney Valley, has visited the University of Suffolk Dental CIC in the University’s James Hehir Building on the Ipswich Waterfront. He met with Professor Jenny Higham, Vice-Chancellor of the University; Professor Paula Kersten, Executive Dean for Health, Sciences and Society; and with Professor Adrian Thorp, Clinical Director of Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) who are providing interim support to the Dental CIC.
During the visit, Mr Ramsay chatted with a group of the University’s dental hygiene and therapy students in the skills lab and tried his hand at carrying out a dental procedure on one of the phantom heads used for training. There was also the opportunity to tour the ten-surgery dental facility and discuss some of the issues facing dental workforce development in the area.
The University of Suffolk Dental CIC aims to combine dental learning for a future dental workforce of therapists and hygienists, and improved oral health for local people.
Adrian Ramsay MP said “It was fantastic to visit the University of Suffolk Dental CIC and spend time in the skills lab speaking with dental hygiene and therapy students. This vital facility is training the next generation of dental professionals and equipping them to serve our communities. The University of Suffolk plays a particularly important role in tackling gaps in the dental workforce, which is crucial to improving access to care and addressing the dental deserts many of my constituents face.”
Professor Jenny Higham, Vice Chancellor of the University of Suffolk said “It was a pleasure to discuss the future hygiene and therapy workforce with someone who was so well informed and knowledgeable about dentistry.”
Professor Adrian Thorp, Clinical Director said “CDS is a learning organisation, as well as clinical. We have a longstanding ethos of training the next generation of dental care professionals and to supporting all members of the dental team to work to their full scope of practice. We are very happy to be lending some of our experience to support the Suffolk Dental CIC.”
The facility in the University’s James Hehir Building features teaching labs for the University’s BSc Dental Hygiene and Therapy course and dedicated space for the Dental CIC to perform vital NHS treatments to patients from across Suffolk and North East Essex.
