Wellington is set to welcome its newest dental practice, Wellington Dental Care, which will begin accepting NHS patients from mid-October. This move addresses the ongoing issue of ‘dental deserts’ in Somerset—areas where residents have limited access to NHS dental services, often forcing them to seek private treatment or forego care altogether.
The NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board (ICB) has intensified efforts to boost NHS dental provision within the county. Since the Labour government took office in July 2024, an additional 13,500 urgent dental care appointments are planned to be made available across Somerset in 2025, enhancing local access to essential services.
Initially announced in February, the opening of Wellington Dental Care was delayed due to asbestos found in the original premises. The new practice is now established at the Lowmoor Industrial Estate on the northern edge of Wellington and is expected to officially open by early December, with phased appointment bookings starting soon.
READ MORE: When is Dragons' Den Returning? BBC Confirms Comeback Following Sara Davies’ Departure
READ MORE: Grandfather Fatally Crushed by Retaining Wall at School Construction Site
Unlike GP surgeries, dental patients are not registered to a specific practice, allowing anyone in the UK to seek treatment from any NHS dentist in Somerset. This flexibility stems from dental contracts introduced in 2006, which differ from the GP registration system. Many Somerset residents currently travel out of county to find NHS dental care, an issue Wellington Dental Care aims to alleviate.
The practice will be operated by DentistryForYou and is set to create up to 12 new jobs in the local community. It will offer both NHS and private dental treatments, providing a wide range of services geared toward improving dental health in the region.
Dr. Bernie Marden, Chief Medical Officer at NHS Somerset, highlighted the importance of this development: “The Wellington area has long needed better NHS dental services. We are pleased this new practice will soon open its doors, forming part of a broader strategy to improve dental access.”
Under existing NHS arrangements, dentists function as private contractors paid by the Department for Health and Social Care based on the volume and complexity of treatments provided. Wellington Dental Care has been commissioned to deliver 20,000 units of dental activity (UDA) annually, with different treatments requiring varying UDAs—for example, a routine check-up consumes fewer UDAs than more complex procedures like extractions or root canals.
MP Rachel Gilmour, representing the neighboring constituency of Tiverton and Minehead, has been advocating for an increase in contracted UDAs at existing local practices to enable higher NHS patient numbers.
To encourage local uptake, both Wellington Dental Care and NHS Somerset will be conducting outreach including a leaflet campaign via Royal Mail. Prospective patients are urged to register their interest through the practice’s website or by phone.
Elizabeth Fernandez, Group Manager at DentistryForYou, expressed enthusiasm about the launch: “We’re excited to open in Wellington and welcome patients. Interest has already been high, and while we will try to serve as many as possible, capacity limits may require us to restrict online expressions of interest.”
Patients can register online at www.dentistryforyou.co.uk/wellingtondentalcare or call 01823 704001. The practice will not process registrations in person, and walk-in patients without appointments will not be accepted.
NHS Somerset plans further expansions, with new practices expected to open soon in Crewkerne and Chard, continuing efforts to improve access to NHS dental care across the region.