OTTERY residents are set to benefit from the creation of 2,000 extra NHS dental places in the town next year.

OTTERY residents are set to benefit from the creation of 2,000 extra NHS dental places in the town next year.

The Herald learnt this week that a new dental practise is set to open in the town in 2010 and the thousands of extra places, around half of the town ward's population, will become available as a result.

Andrew Harris, who manages dentistry provision in Devon for the NHS, said: "It is great news that more people in Ottery will be able to see an NHS dentist.

"We have been working hard to reach a point where nobody in Devon has to wait for an NHS dentist and the extra 2,000 places will go a long way to achieving this.

"Places won't be available until 2010, but plans are underway for a new practise and are in their early stages.

"We recognise the need to provide more places in and around the Ottery area, and have also provisionally agreed with dentists to provide that, they are in the process of putting plans in place."

Residents in need of a dentist can contact the NHS Dental Helpline on 0845 002 0034.