People across Lincolnshire are set to benefit from improved access to local NHS dental care after NHS England (Central Midlands) awarded five new contracts to dental service providers.

The contracts, which include provision of four new dental practices in Spalding, Sleaford, Boston and Lincoln, plus a replacement for the former NHS dental service at Johnson Community Hospital in Pinchbeck, represent an annual investment in local dental care of £3.39 million, totalling almost £34 million over the 10-year contract period.

When they come into effect from January 2019, the contracts – which run for seven years with the option for NHS England to extend for a further three years – will provide a total of 116,000 Units of Dental Activity (UDAs) to NHS patients every year.

Bids were also invited to provide extended access dental services in Louth and the Skegness/Spilsby area (total 15,000 UDAs), but these two contracts were not awarded because the bids did not meet NHS England's criteria.

NHS England said the new contracts had been commissioned in response to an assessment of local dental needs in Lincolnshire. This assessment identified priority areas where improved access to NHS dental services was required.

The exact locations of the new practices within each area will be agreed between NHS England and the service providers.

Di Pegg, Head of Primary Care for NHS England in Lincolnshire, said: 'Having looked at the overall picture in Lincolnshire and gained an understanding of which areas are most in need of better access to dental care, we're delighted to confirm that a range of new NHS practices will be launching in January across the county.

'It's disappointing that we've not been able to award contracts for new services in Louth or the Skegness and Spilsby area as we'd hoped, but we will be renewing our focus on improving access to NHS dental care in these areas as soon as possible.'