EFFORTS to bridge the dental gap in Lancashire have received a boost.

The government's higher education minister Bill Rammell has confirmed 100 permanent places for training dental students have been given the go ahead.

After joint bid from the universities of Central Lancashire, Liverpool and Lancaster, Lancashire and Cumbria will get an extra 32 graduate places between them for dental education.

The move is part of a £12.4 million government pot for capital development to improve the number of dentists nationally.