A dental practice in Oxford is signing up thousands of new NHS patients after completing an expansion programme costing more than £1m.

Two new buildings have opened in the grounds of Bury Knowle Health Centre, in Headington, to enable the practice, currently in the centre itself, to move into its own premises and to provide a home for a new pharmacy.

The project, part funded by Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust, will enable the practice to increase the number of patients it treats from 12,000 to 16,000.

It has also created new jobs.

Practice owner Dr Anushika Sharma said she had employed two new receptionists, two new nurses and two new dentists to cope with the extra demand.

She said: “We are very proud to be able to offer NHS services to so many more patients and serve the needs of the city – it’s a great opportunity to offer treatment in a great environment.

“We have always had a good relationship with the health centre. It’s just nice to have a separate reception because it could get quite chaotic.

“There are TVs on the ceilings in the surgeries, iPod docks and digital camera and X-ray facilities. Everything is brand new and hi-tech. It’s a lovely environment.”

There are 80 NHS dentist practices in Oxfordshire, but only 27 have the capacity to take on new patients.

Of the 22 in Oxford, 12 can take on new patients.

Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust, which allocates money to dentists so they can provide free or subsidised treatment, invested £266,000 in the project.

Deputy head of dental commissioning Nicky Wadely said: “The expansion at Bury Knowle is a significant step forward in improving access to NHS dentists in Oxford.”

But the PCT was unable to say how many patients were looking for NHS dentists, although it has set up a hotline for those looking for treatment on 01865 337267.

tshepherd@oxfordmail.co.uk