A new NHS dental practice has opened in Somerset to address the growing demand for NHS dental services in the area. Crewkerne Dental Care, commissioned by NHS Somerset and operated by Dentistry For You, welcomed its first patients in May 2026.
Before the opening, more than 4,500 people—approximately 75% from the Crewkerne area—registered their interest via an online portal and phone line in April. Since opening, the Market Street practice has treated hundreds of local patients and is currently focusing on completing appointments for those who expressed interest before reopening registration. At this time, in-person registrations are not being accepted but may be in the near future.
The practice held a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 13, with local MP Adam Dance, Dr Esmail Harunani (partner at Dentistry For You), and Jonathan Higman, Chief Executive of NHS Somerset, in attendance along with local stakeholders and health representatives.
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Elizabeth Fernandez, group manager for Dentistry For You, shared enthusiasm about the community’s response: “Our team has enjoyed getting to know our patients since May. The community has been very welcoming, and patients appreciate having NHS dental care close to home. We look forward to reopening the registration portal soon.”
Crewkerne Dental Care is the third new NHS dental practice to launch in Somerset since October 2025, following earlier openings in Wellington and Chard. Collectively, these new practices are expected to provide NHS dental care for up to 20,000 people annually.
MP Adam Dance commented on the impact of these developments: “Opening Crewkerne Dental Care is a significant milestone for our community. The new practices in Crewkerne and Chard are already helping thousands who previously struggled to access NHS dentistry. I commend NHS Somerset and Dentistry For You for their collaboration in making this happen. However, we must continue pushing for further improvements to ensure NHS dentistry is accessible to everyone.”
Recent data shows an upward trend in NHS dentistry access across Somerset. In the 2025/26 period, the county’s 52 NHS dental practices provided approximately 10,000 more NHS treatments than the previous year, reversing a decline since the pandemic.
Jonathan Higman, Chief Executive of the integrated care board for Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, Wiltshire, Dorset, and Somerset, emphasized the importance of these new services: “Crewkerne Dental Care is a vital part of our recovery plan to improve NHS dental access. We recognize there is still work to do, and we remain committed to making NHS dentistry a top priority.”
Crewkerne was selected for this new practice due to its high demand for NHS dental appointments. NHS Somerset has commissioned 15,500 units of dental activity (UDAs) annually at the Crewkerne site, which supports the payment structure for NHS dental providers. For urgent dental needs, residents are advised to contact NHS 111 by phone or online.