Subject to a final stage of decision making, the money from Greater Norwich Growth’s Infrastructure Investment Fund will be used to construct an extension to the Edith Cavell Building on the site of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital at Norwich Research Park.
Kay Mason Billig, leader of Norfolk County Council, said, “We need to ensure everyone has access to dental care. This is an important part of our strategy for Norfolk, aiming to attract and retain the right skills in key areas. The East of England is chronically under served, with our nearest undergraduate dental courses in Birmingham and London.
"Norfolk County Council has been working hard to support UEA’s ambitions for a new School of Oral Health, which is why we brought this proposal to the Greater Norwich Growth Board. We are delighted, therefore, that this investment now has the support of district partners."
Works began in 2024 to deliver a ground floor extension to UEA’s Anatomy Suite, with the GNGB funding enabling a first-floor extension, which will be home to the School of Oral Health.
The space will be equipped with dentist chairs, clinical grade fittings and other specialist teaching infrastructure such as phantom heads, teaching laboratory and seminar rooms. The school will provide capacity for 40 undergraduate students per year.
David Maguire, vice chancellor of the University of East Anglia, said, “This is great news and we thank the GNGB for its unanimous support. Providing dental training here in Norwich will be a positive move towards helping local people get the care they need.
“This is an important step in our bid to deliver undergraduate dental training at UEA, building on the success of the Norwich Medical School.”
The university said this represents a significant step towards addressing the lack of NHS dentist capacity in Norfolk.
Sue Holland, leader of Broadland District Council and chair of the Greater Norwich Growth Board, said, “The lack of access to a dentist is a real concern for too many of our residents. There are long waiting lists and Norfolk is in the bottom 10 per cent when it comes to the availability of NHS appointments.
“This will be the first dental school opened in the UK since 2005, and it will have an immediate impact. Training dentists locally will provide much needed resources for existing dental practices.”
For more information visit www.greaternorwichgrowth.gov.uk