A new dental facility in Gloucester City opened on 1 July, providing much-needed urgent NHS dental services to Gloucestershire residents through NHS 111.

The Centre is a joint project between NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Gloucestershire County Council as part of a commitment to improve NHS dental access for those in most need.

It includes seven individual treatment rooms and provides daytime, evening and limited weekend urgent care appointments, alongside follow-up care if required.

If patients have an urgent dental need, they should contact NHS 111 where they will be assessed and signposted, as clinically appropriate.

Smile Together Community Interest Company (CIC)*, a certified B Corporation with a mission of tackling oral health inequality for healthier happier communities, is contracted to provide the dental services at Quayside House Dental Access Centre (DAC).

The Centre is also applying to become an NHS Dental Foundation Training Practice to deliver mentorship and support newly qualified NHS dentists working there.

Christina Worle, Dental Strategy Clinical Lead at NHS Gloucestershire ICB, said:

“We’re really pleased to see the opening of the Dental Access Centre at Quayside House – a milestone in our commitment to increase access to urgent NHS dentistry and develop our future dental workforce.

We know how important it is for local people to get urgent dental care quickly when they are in pain or need help, so we’re pleased that NHS 111 will now be able to signpost patients to urgent appointments in the heart of Gloucester City.

Over the coming months, the Centre will also enable us to help people with the greatest need to access NHS appointments and maintain good oral health.”

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, Cabinet Member at Gloucestershire County Council said:

“This new Dental Access Centre is a really important step forward for people in Gloucester and across the county who have struggled to get urgent NHS dental care.

Being able to access support through NHS 111, with appointments available during evenings and weekends, will make a real difference for residents who need help quickly and can’t wait.

This centre is about making sure local people can get the care they need, when they need it, and helping reduce the pressure that many families have faced trying to access NHS dental services. It’s a positive step towards improving access to care and tackling health inequalities in our communities.”

Jasem Greval, CEO at Smile Together CIC, said:

“This new Dental Access Centre is an exciting step forward for NHS dentistry in Gloucestershire. We’re delighted to be working in partnership with NHS Gloucestershire ICB and Gloucestershire County Council to provide high-quality dental care for people who need it most.

As a community interest company, everything we do is centred on improving oral health and tackling oral health inequalities. The Centre will not only increase access to care, but also help develop the next generation of NHS dentists, ensuring local people continue to benefit from accessible, high-quality NHS dental services for years to come.

We’re proud to be part of a project that not only improves access to care today, but also helps build a stronger, more sustainable NHS dental service for the future.”

Carl Dean, Director of Identity Consult, the construction consultancy involved with delivering the project, said:

“I’d like to acknowledge the commitment of NHS Gloucestershire ICB, Gloucestershire County Council, Kier Construction and the Design Team in bringing this excellent new dental facility to fruition.

It is particularly rewarding to deliver this project within the agreed budget and programme requirements, and we are very proud to be an integral part of the development process, working alongside NHS Gloucestershire.”

NHS Gloucestershire ICB will continue to work closely with local dentists across the county, with help from patient representatives, to expand the number of NHS dental places for local people, including children, and is exploring a number of options to improve access.

 

Notes

Project partners will also explore the provision of regular and routine dental care to eligible patients at the Centre, to be agreed by the ICB and Public Health working in partnership with community and voluntary organisations in the county.

*Smile Together CIC is a social enterprise that provides NHS and private dental care. They are one of the largest NHS referral and emergency dental care providers in the South West. They reinvest profits to improve patient facilities and tackle oral health inequality, supporting communities through outreach and specialist services. A ‘B Corporation’ is a certified business that meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability, verified by B Lab.

Urgent dental appointments: patients can access urgent appointments at clinics across the county by contacting NHS 111. Appointments are also available on weeknights and at weekends. Patients will be triaged by dental nurses in the local urgent dental care triage team. Appointments can be accessed by people from any part of the county.

Stabilisation appointments: as part of its commitment to improve access to NHS dentistry, NHS Gloucestershire ICB also commissions appointments across the county to support patients who have had an urgent dental appointment and require further treatment, but do not have a dentist.

These appointments may include a full-examination and follow-up dental treatment to support someone’s oral health to help ensure they do not need another urgent dental appointment soon. Patients will be referred following their urgent dental appointment if they need this.

An official opening event offering access for photography and interviews will be held late summer 2026. For more information, please contact glicb.enquiries@nhs.net.