Supermarket offers in-store dentist

A British supermarket chain has come up with a novel way to get shoppers through the door, offering them the chance to get their teeth fixed while picking up their groceries.

Sainsbury's has opened Britains's first in-store dental surgery at Sale, near Manchester, The Times newspaper reported. The private practice will offer check-ups and general and cosmetic dentistry, and would be run by Lance Knight. Mr Knight - who runs Manchester's celebrity haunt, the Ultimate Smile Spa - wants to introduce the Sainsbury's Surgery concept to more stores if the trial is successful. "We have a private practice that is very successful, but we want to do something for the man in the street. We'll be next to the checkout, near the pharmacy, and I think it will work really well," he said. "Accessibility is a big problem with dentists - they are often stuck up a back street somewhere. We'll be in the frontline seven days a week." The launch marks the latest attempt by a supermarket to develop other sources of revenue. Earlier this year, Sainsbury's signed a deal to offer out-of-hours GP appointments at a number of stores in the Greater Manchester area.