University Secures £1.5 Million to Expand Dental Education in Lincolnshire

The Lincolnshire Institute of Dental and Oral Health (LIDOH) is a major new initiative which aims to tackle the region’s severe shortage of dental professionals and increase patient access to NHS dental care.

The £1.5 million funding, awarded through the UK government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, will enable the University to launch new education programmes that will enable local people to train and qualify for careers in dental hygiene and therapy without having to leave the region.

The LIDOH will offer a new BSc in Dental Hygiene and Therapy alongside a foundation course designed to help dental nurses and other healthcare professionals retrain and upskill. The funding will also enable the University to redevelop existing facilities to create bespoke clinical teaching spaces, equipped with the latest digital and simulation technology.

Lincolnshire currently ranks among the worst regions in the UK for access to NHS dental care. The resulting poor oral health can have significant wide reaching impacts, affecting an individual’s mental and physical health. The new Institute will help to create a sustainable, homegrown dental workforce to meet the needs of the under-served communities across Greater Lincolnshire.

The LIDOH builds on the University’s proven success in health workforce development and healthcare research – following the establishment of the Lincoln Medical School, which is now producing graduates working as junior doctors in local NHS hospitals, and the Lincoln Institute for Rural and Coastal Health which is leading research into the health outcomes of communities in areas like Lincolnshire.

Professor Neal Juster, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lincoln, said: “We are delighted to have secured this grant funding which will support the establishment of the new Lincolnshire Institute of Dental and Oral Health at the University of Lincoln.

“Across Greater Lincolnshire we have a strong track record of organisations coming together to respond to local needs, tackling skills gaps, supporting growth, improving services, and expanding educational and career opportunities for local people.

“We are grateful for the confidence and commitment shown by the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority and local partners in enabling this project to benefit people across the region.

“Our purpose as a University is to transform lives and communities. This is a key first step in our longer-term ambition to create a full dental school in the region.”

Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, added: “I recommended that this funding was approved to really get this project off the ground, so I’m pleased the authority has agreed it. From next year, the Institute will support courses that will train 30 students a year in Dental Hygiene and Therapy. The Institute will also provide courses for others already working in oral health, helping retain professionals in the county. 

“All of this is good news for residents, as we turn around the lack of dental provision across Greater Lincolnshire, helping us ‘grow our own’ talent. The long-term hope is that the University can eventually host a dental school to address the shortage of dentists.”

Dr Sunil Hindocha, Medical Director at NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, added: “The ICB is fully supportive of the development of the Lincolnshire Institute of Dental and Oral Health (LIDOH). It is a great initiative which aligns to our strategic dental workforce theme to improve dental recruitment and training in the county and we believe it will have a significant and positive impact on future dental care in the county.”

This funding marks a major step in the University’s ambition to deliver dental education in Lincolnshire. Further support will be needed to help the project reach its full potential. If you are interested in finding out more about the project or contributing to the future of dental education in the region, please contact development@lincoln.ac.uk.