A NEW dental group has been launched on Wearside which aims to create 70 jobs.

Houghton-le-Spring firm Dentist Direct aims to help more than 100 professionals set up their own practice using a joint venture model that allows dentists to operate from a new practice for a minimum cash outlay.

The company aims to offer dentists back office support, such as finance, administration and marketing and launch their practice on a site with a car park and signage near main roads across the UK.

The firm, headed by dentist Ken Harris, has won funding from NatWest bank to support the opening of 100 practices within the next five years, as well as creating 70 jobs at its headquarters.

Dr Harris said: “We understand business requirements can create stress and take dentists away from personal responsibilities. We want to support them with our opportunity for them to become their own boss while maintaining a healthy work- life balance.”

Dentist Direct’s practices are run as a joint venture partnership, with individual practitioners making a capital outlay in return for their own fitted out facility, access to ongoing training and development and back office support.

Each clinic it opens will have access to Waterlase – a hard tissue laser technology which allows dentists to perform traditional dental procedures with less anaesthesia and reduced patient anxiety.