A STATE-of-the-art £750,000 dental department has been officially opened in Greenock.

Shona Robison, Scottish minister for public health and sport, was at Greenock Health Centre yesterday to unveil the hi-tech facility where patients will be treated using advanced technology.

She was given a tour then met staff, patients and local schoolchildren to find out what they thought of it.

Mrs Robison also revealed Inverclyde is leading the way for Scotland on child dental care.

She said: "It's great to see such modern facilities. The impression patients get is important and I think patients will appreciate the investment made.

"Inverclyde now has the highest rate in Scotland of children registered with dentists, with 94.2 per cent of three to five-year-olds registered." As well as providing new equipment, the new dental department has increased the number of surgeries from five to eight, with four surgeries being used for dental student outreach training.

It has improved access for disabled people and will be pro-active in educating young people about dental care.

Mrs Robison added: "Patients will get quick and speedy access and the quality of their treatment will be enhanced.

"It's also important as students train here so they might take up their placements here when they finish." Fifth-year dental student, Andrew Gunning, from Glasgow University, who is on placement at the new unit, also praised the facilities.

He said: "It's brilliant, I'm now getting experience I wouldn't have had a few years ago. It sets up students really well for graduating." Dental nurse Sandra McGregor thinks the new facility will make a huge difference to patients.

She said: "We've got a digital X-ray that comes up on a big screen in seconds. Before we had this patients would have to wait for 20 minutes to get the X-ray.

"We also have an OPT machine, which is an X-ray for the full mouth. Previously we had an X-ray which would only show a small part of the mouth." Pupils from Lilybank School got the chance to try out the new equipment as part of a new programme to teach children about the importance of the dentist.

After the tour, pupils from Highlanders' Academy performed two special 'tooth' songs in Gaelic before chairman of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Andrew Robertson, joined Mrs Robison to unveil a commemorative plaque with the help of Highlanders' pupils Freya Dinning and Ryan Nelis.

Mr Robertson said: "It's a very important development and I am delighted to see the new dental facility has improved the environment for both patients and staff."