Machynlleth patients offered dental treatment at mobile surgery

A mobile dental surgery is offering treatment to patients in a Powys town after its permanent dentist left.

The dental suite, in the back of a van, has provided treatment three days a week to NHS patients in Machynlleth since November.

Warren Tolley, Powys Teaching Health Board's (THB) clinical director of dentistry, said it could be used in other communities that are finding it difficult to recruit a dentist.

The permanent dentist left in October.

Due to contractual reasons, Powys THB was unable to use the permanent dental suite in Machynlleth but it is hoped a permanent dentist will be working there by the end of January.

Mr Tolley said: "We are a community dental service directly employed by the health board.

"One of our core functions is as a safety net and the mobile unit could be used in another area that is perhaps experiencing the same problems."

Rosalie Yarrington, who had a filling in the mobile unit, said: "It was just the same as going to any other dentist really, just a smaller room."