Kay Mason Billig, Conservative leader at Norfolk County Council, said the town's former Palmers department store could play a key role in training the dentists of tomorrow, along with the University of East Anglia. Norfolk County Council leader Kay Mason Billig (Image: Norfolk County Council)

The government is coming under increasing pressure to pump money into Norfolk to increase training places to help end the 'dental desert' which has left people in the county unable to get NHS treatment.

Data from the Local Government Association shows Norfolk and Waveney has among some of the lowest numbers of dentists per 10,000 people in the country, yet East Anglia has no dentistry school.

The UEA is keen to have a dentistry school (Image: Newsquest)

The University of East Anglia wants to create one, with its ambitions backed by all of Norfolk's MPs.

At a meeting of Norfolk County Council next week, councillors will be asked to back a Conservative motion to lobby for the UEA dental school.

But Mrs Mason Billig revealed that the Palmers building, which is being revamped in a £17m project to become a new venue known as The Place, could also be used to train dentists.

The former Palmers store in Great Yarmouth is being turned into The Place (Image: Denise Bradley)

She said: "We are trying to put as much pressure as we can on the government. The UEA would really like to have a dentistry school there, so we are all set up to accommodate that.

"There's also The Place in Great Yarmouth, which could be an option. The idea is that if we train somebody, then they are more likely to put down roots and stay here in Norfolk."

Great Yarmouth Borough Council leader Carl Smith and Norfolk County Council leader Kay Mason Billig tour the work on The Place in Great Yarmouth (Image: Denise Bradley)

As part of a dental recovery plan unveiled in February, the government announced it was aiming to increase dental training places by 40pc by 2032.

Andrea Leadsom (Image: PA)

Mrs Mason Billig said she had raised the issue with primary care minister Andrea Leadsom, during her recent visit to Norfolk.

The council leader said: "We need to make sure we are the best option on the table."