The allocation of the places will mean all NHS England regions will now have a dental school.

Health minister, Stephen Kinnock, said: ‘No one in the 21st century should struggle to access basic dental care or, even worse, be forced to take matters into their own hands.

‘By bringing dental school places to UEA and the University of Portsmouth for the first time, trainee dentists will put down roots in parts of the country that have for too long been left behind.

‘These new places will help train NHS-ready dentists in the communities that need them most, meaning patients can get the care they need faster and closer to home.'

The new places are part of a wider package of measures to rebuild NHS dentistry. The Government has also invested in significantly expanding the number of places on professional registration exams for overseas-trained dentists, with up to 2,400 more dentists expected to be able to join the register annually by 2028 to 2029.