A Portadown dental practice has officially opened a new seven-surgery facility, marking its most significant expansion since its founding in 1967. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and Chief Dental Officer Professor Caroline Lappin attended the opening of the William Street Dental and Implant Centre.

The move more than doubles the practice's clinical capacity from three surgeries to seven. Co-owners Dr James McKee and Dr Pádraic Conroy said the facility was the result of years of planning aimed at modernising care and expanding services.

The practice now provides advanced restorative, implant and referral treatments, drawing patients from across Northern Ireland while maintaining its community base. Dr McKee said the focus remained on the people behind the practice, including patients, staff and the local community.

Minister Nesbitt described the investment as significant for the future of dental services in the area, for local employment and for the long-term goal of creating a multidisciplinary healthcare hub. He noted that the mixed model of Health Service and private care was part of the solution for delivering the best possible patient care.

Dr Conroy said the expansion would allow more required services to be offered under one roof, guided by the same ethical and compassionate ethos. The practice also plans to develop the site as a wider community healthcare hub, creating opportunities for collaboration with other health professionals and improving access to community-based services.