An NHS dental practice which aims to cater to 12,000 people in Chippenham, Wiltshire, has been officially opened.
The Hathaway Dental Practice, which opened earlier this year, is the "flagship" clinic of a £3m investment in dentistry by NHS Wiltshire.
Bosses at the Primary Care Trust hope the practice will provide dental treatment to 6,500 people within the next two years, in addition to the 5,500 patients who are currently on its books.
Maggie Rae from NHS Wiltshire said dental services in the county had "improved greatly".
"It's so much more improved from the dreadful state it was a couple of years ago," she commented. It really needed that investment and I think we're starting to see a difference but we're not finished our programme yet."
Ms Rae added the biggest problem was patients missing their appointments, which was preventing other people from getting one.
"I'm still struggling with people who say they can't find one as I want people to flood the system and try and get one," she continued.
"I'm sure people who are talking about it (not getting an appointment) are actually just scared to go."
