In partnership with Septodont, Dentaid the Dental charity's new charity dental unit is on the road in Kent, providing care for vulnerable people in the community.
Volunteers from Dentaid The Dental Charity will be providing emergency treatment and dental health checks for people experiencing homelessness, families in poverty, survivors of abuse, fishing communities, refugees and asylum seekers across the southeast.
The dental surgery on wheels has been funded by dental pharmaceuticals and supply company Septodont, which is based in Maidstone and home to the charity’s Kent hub.
The unit travels to hostels, soup kitchens and community centres run by Dentaid’s charity partners. The service is for under-served groups that face barriers to accessing dental care. Volunteer dentists and nurses provide oral cancer screening, dental health advice and preventative treatments in addition to extractions and fillings for people suffering from toothache. The unit will also visit fishing ports and quays so fishermen working unpredictable hours have the chance to see a dentist.
Dentaid The Dental Charity is seeing unprecedented demand for its services and now has eight dental units providing outreach dental care across the UK. The Kent hub is its latest regional base following projects in the north of England and Northern Ireland and hundreds of homeless and vulnerable patients have already benefited from the partnership.
Andy Evans, CEO of Dentaid The Dental Charity, said, “Untreated toothache is miserable for anyone, but for people experiencing homelessness, poverty and abuse, not being able to access dental services can have a huge impact on their wellbeing. We know that by taking a mobile dental unit to a location where they feel supported and comfortable, we are giving them the best possible chance of accessing care. It’s about helping people out of pain, but equally important is increasing our patients’ self-esteem by helping them feel more confident about their smiles. We know that our patients are on a journey and that dental care can play an important role in helping someone move on to a new chapter in their lives. We are very grateful that Septodont has chosen to support us in this way so we can base our charity unit and new regional hub in Kent.”
Septodont, the world leader in local dental anaesthetics, is very excited about its new partnership with Dentaid The Dental Charity. Mike Cann, managing director of Septodont Ltd, said, “As Septodont’s UK head office is based in Kent, we wanted to give something back to our local community. Sadly, there is a huge need for dental care amongst those that Dentaid The Dental Charity help and Septodont are delighted and honoured to assist with this amazing charity.”