Seal of approval

The Princess Royal toured the £78m facilities, meeting and talking to dental staff and students from QMUL and Barts Health NHS Trust – as well as surprising patients being cared for.

Among those who The Princess Royal met and chatted with on her tour of the facilities was young patient Rosanna Lucas. The 10 year old from Havering presented Her Royal Highness with a posy of flowers. When aged eight, Rosanna had four teeth removed by the hospital team.

After her tour, The Princess Royal unveiled a plaque to celebrate the occasion - the UK’s first new dental school and hospital to open in 40 years.

Following more than a decade of planning and construction, the brand new dental facilities are the most modern and technologically advanced in the UK, meaning a vastly improved patient experience for the 70,000 appointments that take place at the hospital each year and an enhanced educational environment for students.