Joanne gets her teeth into new venture (From Warrington Guardian)

Joanne gets her teeth into new venture

IT will be all smiles in Culcheth this winter with the opening of a new NHS dental surgery.

Joanne Finn, who worked at Hob Hey Lane surgery for 14 years, is opening her own dental practice on Warrington Road.

"I am committed to the NHS," said Joanne. "When Hob Hey Lane decided to go private, they asked me if I would like to join them but I decided that on balance I would rather stay with the NHS." Joanne's new practice is housed in a modular building next door to Culcheth County Primary School. It comes hot on the heels of the Smile clinic on Froghall Lane announcing it had extra NHS places available for new patients.

Joanne's team includes a hygienist, a full time dental nurse, a part time dental nurse and a part time receptionist. She hopes to get additional funding to pay for a second dentist. Warrington Guardian was inundated with angry patients after Hob Hey Lane dental practice announced it would become a private business in June.

Joanne will be opening her doors for business on December 6, but she already has 2,000 patients signed up.

"I'm just about up to the limit already," said Joanne.

"I've got some busy times ahead but I'm looking forward to it. It's been a long haul but it's been worth it. I've got a lot of support from patients as I went along."

Joanne is holding an open afternoon from 1.30pm on December 3 for her patients to meet her new team.