Dental surgery approval fills a hole in village life

5:20pm Saturday 4th October 2008

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A DENTAL surgery is to open in Overton more than 30 years after the last one closed.

The surgery, which aims to provide affordable care – and possibly NHS services – has been given the go-ahead. The new facility will save residents having to travel miles for treatment.

It will open at the former telephone exchange at Entec House, in Station Road. Initially, the aim is to register between 1,000 and 2,000 patients with more planned.

Three treatment rooms staffed by two dentists and a dental hygienist will be available from Monday to Saturday, with night appointments available on weekdays.

Brothers Dr Shervin Nesari and Dr Shaun Nesari are behind the project and will apply to Hampshire Primary Care Trust for funding to provide treatment on the NHS. They hope the surgery will open after Christmas.

Dr Shervin Nesari said: “We chose Overton because we have friends who live there and they said they had to travel miles to see a dentist. We would like to offer NHS services if funding is available from the Primary Care Trust, otherwise we will aim to set our fees at an affordable and reasonable level.

“We will have the latest state-of-the-art equipment.”

The proposal was approved by planners at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council last month.

Councillor Ian Tilbury, ward member for Overton, said: “It’s good news for the village. We’ve not had a dentist in Overton for more than 30 years, so this will be very welcome. I can imagine demand will be very high.”

Natalie Jones, primary care dental services commissioning manager for Hampshire PCT said that although more NHS dentistry was planned for the region, “at this time we have no plans to introduce NHS dental services in the Overton area”.