Scotlands health chiefs have approved plans for a new band of dental therapists to be trained in Edinburgh in a bid to improve access to NHS treatment .
Health ministers will introduce the new School of Dental Therapy in The Edinburgh Dental Institute at Lauriston Place as part of a multi-million-pound overhaul of the building .
The new setup in Scotlands second city will see ten new dental therapists trained every year at the centre, and it is hoped they will choose to stay in the Lothians once qualified as over half of all adults and more than a quarter of children in the Lothians are currently not registered with an NHS dentist .
Colwyn Jones, NHS Lothian's consultant in dental public health, commented: We are delighted that we are now going to provide training for dental therapists in Edinburgh ."
"NHS Lothian is committed to continually improving and modernising our care services and this includes dental services ."
"We expect to train ten new dental therapists each year, who will then form a valuable and integral part of the dental team," she added.
"Dental therapists carry out dental work on children and adults, including fillings, advice on improving oral hygiene, smoking cessation and healthy diets ."
The first dental therapists are expected to begin their training as of autumn next year.




