A NEW £1 million dental surgery has opened its doors to an extra 2,500 patients.

Smallthorne Family Dental Practice has moved to state-of-the-art premises and will take on the additional patients over the next few years.

Dentist Sam De Silva moved the practice from its terrace premises to the former Roger Bean shoe shop on the opposite side of Ford Green Road, after outgrowing the two-up two-down building.

Mr De Silva said the new practice, which is more than double the size, would be a "one-stop shop" for dentistry and aesthetic treatments, offering botox and chemical peels, smile makeovers, smoking cessation services and oral health promotion.

The project has been funded by Mr De Silva with help from the Stoke-on-Trent Primary Care Trust (PCT).

He said: "We moved into the old premises in 2003. But we came to maximum capacity and it was not a building made to deliver modern dentistry.

"It had been our mission to move the practice for the last year and with the PCT we were able to move forward.

"We already have between 10,000 and 12,000 patients and can now take another 2,500, which we will do in phases.

"We have taken on one extra dentist and one therapist, as well as two dental nurses.

"We now have three dentists, two part-time therapists and one part-time dentist.

"It has been hard work, but I am very proud to finally be able to open the new practice.

"I am from Sri Lanka but have lived in Stoke for 10 years. This is my home and I wanted to create something special here."

Dental nurse Tracy Foster, aged 41, from Biddulph, who has worked at the practice for nine months, said: "It is absolutely amazing. It is so much bigger and there is now disabled access. We will be able to offer a lot more services."

The practice has a new IT system and can offer digital X-rays.

Chief dental officer for England Barry Cockcroft, who attended yesterday's opening, said: "The Government has made a massive extra investment in NHS dentistry over the last five years. This is a great example of the local PCT spending its money well. "

Jeanette Sims, learning manager for Stoke-on-Trent PCT, said: "The premises across the road had steps outside and creating wheelchair access would not have been possible. There was a limit to what could be done.

"Now we have the sort of facility the people of Stoke-on-Trent deserve. It is a modern, bright building with the latest technology and the best anti-contamination facilities you could want. They will be able to offer preventative care against tooth decay and disease."

Kate Taylor-Weetman, consultant in dental public health for the PCT, said NHS dentist waiting lists across the city have been wiped out.

"There is a perception that getting an NHS dentist is really difficult," she said.

"In Stoke-on-Trent 18 months ago there was a shortage of places, but now there are no waiting lists.

"A lot of investment from the Government has meant we have been able to open two new practices and invest in others to provide more dentists and new equipment. Two more practices will open later this year.

"Nine NHS practices across Stoke-on-Trent are taking patients at the moment."