England’s Chief Dental Officer reopens Queen Mary’s refurbished Barkantine Dental Outreach Clinic

The Barkantine Dental Outreach Clinic, originally opened in 2008, is a partnership between Queen Mary and Barts NHS Trust. The Clinic provides dental care to thousands of local residents, while training Queen Mary’s dental and dental therapy students. With nearly 3,500 NHS dentist positions in the UK vacant and one in eight UK dentists within five years of retirement, the training of new dentists is more important than ever.

The 13-chair facility sits within a purpose-built medical centre located in the Isle of Dogs, an area of East London that is particularly impacted by dental shortages and health inequalities. The newly-refurbished clinic is now fitted with state-of-the-art dental chairs and a radiography suite.

Queen Mary’s Institute of Dentistry, ranked number one in London and 15th in the world, is leading the initiative. The outreach clinic continues to support the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan for England and the priorities of the North East London Integrated Care Board, to tackle entrenched health inequalities.

Undergraduate students at the University, who come from London and around the world, will deliver care through a community-based outreach model, expanding access to primary dental services and tackling complex oral health needs. The Barkantine Dental Outreach Clinic is one of five of our community-based, student-led clinics in East London.

Jason Wong MBE, Chief Dental Officer for England said: “It is an honour to have been invited to open the newly refurbished Barkantine Dental Outreach Clinic. This wonderful facility plays a vital role in expanding access to local communities in East London as well as supporting the training of the next generation of the dental workforce - it is a powerful example of how education and service can work together."

Professor Christopher Tredwin MBE, Dean of Dentistry at Queen Mary, said: “Queen Mary's dental training facilities transform oral health and wider wellbeing for the residents of North East London. By bringing world-class dental education directly into the community, we are removing long-standing barriers to access and ensuring that those who need care the most can receive it free of charge, close to home. This refurbishment allows us to continue a meaningful and lasting outreach footprint in the East End of London.”