50 extra dentists will be trained in so-called 'dental deserts'.

The Office for Students was asked to allocate new training places, prioritising areas that do not currently train dentists, including rural and coastal communities where accessing an NHS dental appointment has often be difficult.

UEA and the University of Portsmouth have been selected to deliver this expansion. Each university will host 25 dental places.

All NHS England regions will now have a dental school.

Health Minister, Stephen Kinnock, said: "No one in the 21st century should struggle to access basic dental care or, even worse, be forced to take matters into their own hands.

"By bringing dental school places to UEA and the University of Portsmouth for the first time, trainee dentists will put down roots in parts of the country that have for too long been left behind.

"These new places will help train NHS-ready dentists in the communities that need them most, meaning patients can get the care they need faster and closer to home."

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth, Professor Graham Galbraith CBE, said: "Securing these places is a landmark moment for the University of Portsmouth and the communities we serve. The south-east has needed its own dental school for decades and today that ambition becomes a reality. We are ready to train the next generation of dental professionals right here in Portsmouth - professionals who will stay in the region and help end the dental desert."

UEA’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Maguire, said: "UEA is very pleased to support the initiative to improve dental health, especially for those in the east of England, by training new dentists. We have been working on this for several years and look forward to starting our new course in 2027."