WEST Devon Borough Council's meeting chamber has undergone quite a transformation — into a new NHS dental practice for residents. The new Tavistock surgery at Kilworthy Park, which will serve around 6,000 patients, was officially opened last week by the mayor of West Devon, Cllr Dennis Bater. The opening was part of a double celebration for the council, as the mayor also performed a 'topping out' ceremony on a building project, also at West Devon's Kilworthy Park site. The development, which will see new offices for businesses to rent, improved meeting areas for the community, a conference suite and a transformation of the council's reception area into a 'one-stop shop' for West Devon people, has reached an exciting new milestone. Cllr Bater climbed to the top of the new structure and placed a small fir tree in the rafters — an age- old tradition to acknowledge that the tip of the building has been reached and that the development is going well. The project, which will be completed this summer, is a £3.9 million self-financing initiative by the council. Energy efficient and sustainable measures are also being built into the development to include features such as photovoltaic cells on the roofs to produce electricity, storing rainwater to be used for toilet facilities and innovative gas fuelled boilers which recover heat and re-use it. Cllr Bater told guests at the double ceremony: 'This is a great day for the people of West Devon. The dental practice is already proving to be a great success and the new development will bring further benefits to the community.' The borough has worked with the Devon Primary Care Trust to provide the new dental service, enabling 6,000 patients to register in the first instance with a capacity to take further clients in the future. Andrew Harris, of Devon Primary Care Trust, who is responsible for dentistry in the county, is delighted with the new practice. He said: 'The number of people who have contacted us wanting to join the practice clearly demonstrates that there is a real need for NHS dentistry in the town. We are delighted to be supporting this development.' The new Dental Practice is being managed by Associated Dental Practices (ADP). Devon Primary Care Trust has set up a central dental telephone line to assist patients looking for an NHS dentist. Anyone who wants to add their name to the list should call 0845 002 0034 and leave a message, including their name, address, contact details and date of birth. Patients who have already registered on an NHS waiting list locally do not need to call.
