AN INNOVATIVE family dental practice in Malton has entered The Press Business Awards 2012 after completing major improvements.

The Smile Rooms, owned by Catherine Tannahill, has relocated into new premises in 2011, while also adapting to industry changes, complying with new regulations and making improvements to the management of the business and standards of patient care.

Mrs Tannahill, who has entered Women In Enterprise and Small Business Of The Year bought the practice, which has been around for more than 70 years in 2007.

Throughout its history the practice has been located on the first floor of a dilapidated, cramped building and Mrs Tannahill saw the need for ground floor access, extra space and improved customer service. She took a long lease on a derelict property just a short distance away which required full renovation and refurbishment.

Work began in November and was delayed by poor weather and the rest of the team continued working at the old premises, while also clearing out years of redundant and antiquated dental equipment. Finally in March, The Smile Rooms welcomed its first patient in the new premises on Saville Street, Malton, having only closed for one afternoon for the change over.

The new practice has disabled access, a ground floor treatment room and a spacious disabled toilet, as well as three other treatment rooms, a decontamination unit, improved staff facilities, better storage and potential for expansion.

It has also modernised its processes, using emails and text messages to communicate with patients, re-launching its website and creating a Facebook page for the business.

Mrs Tannahill said: "We are attracting new patients on a daily basis and our affordable maintenance plan is growing in numbers.

"We have plans to invest in more new equipment and staff training to expand our services and continue to improve our customer care and range of treatments."