University asks alumni for dental school support

The University of East Anglia is asking former students for financial help to equip its new dental school.

In an email to alumni, the head of the Faculty of Medicine has asked them to consider donating £10 a month, adding: "Your support could help equip the clinical spaces where students learn, provide specialist instruments and state-of-the-art training equipment."

The UEA says there is no funding crisis and the school will open next year, but admits its business model has become "tougher" because it was only allocated 25 student places.

The Office for Students says the 50 new dental places created by the government have been shared equally between the UEA and the University of Portsmouth.

The email tells alumni: "Your gift will help ensure UEA's first-ever dentistry students have the facilities and equipment they need to succeed from day one."

Building work on the new dental school, which is located opposite the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, is complete.

Over the next few months it will be fitted out with a variety of training equipment including "phantom heads" where students will be able to practise extracting teeth and putting in fillings on life-like models.

But to help fund it, the UEA has written to alumni asking them to consider making a regular donation.

Prof Philip Baker, the pro-vice chancellor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, said there was nothing new in universities asking former students to fund projects.

But he said being awarded just 25 places when it had been hoping for about twice that number did add to its financial pressures.

"Most dental schools have a cohort of around 70 students and that's not a coincidence," he said.

"Clearly extra students mean extra staff but that business model is tougher with a smaller number of students. It is doable but tougher.

"We still have a business plan which will, in the long term, wash it's face. The challenge is that upfront investment."

Prof Baker said he believed the money would be found, adding: "I am absolutely 100% confident that the dental school will start and our students will have a great experience."

A spokesman for the Office for Students said the government had allocated 50 new training places and asked it to prioritise new dental schools.

"From this exercise, we allocated 25 places to the new dental school at the University of East Anglia and 25 to the University of Portsmouth," he said.

"Both universities met the criteria for allocating the additional places.

"It is for the university to decide whether to seek philanthropic support as they develop the school."

The dental school has been built with help from a £1.5m grant from the Greater Norwich Growth Board, a partnership of local councils.

But the BBC understands the UEA has also been hoping for a contribution from the government, which has been keen to see a dental school established in a region where access to NHS dentists is a big issue.

A spokesman for the Department for Health said: "This government is delivering the biggest expansion of dental school places in 20 years, targeted where demand is greatest."

Professor Baker says he has been struck by the widespread support for the dental school.

"I don't think I have ever arrived anywhere and come across a cmapign with such unified support around creating a dental school for Norfolk and East Anglia.

"There is a mssive need here and if the dental school can contribute to adressing that need all well and good"

Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.