There are over 3,000 people sleeping rough in London and many more in shelters or temporary accommodation. Maintaining good oral health is difficult without a settled home and can lead to health problems which, if left untreated, can become serious and affect general health.
The initiative brings together information on specialised dental services running for homeless people at three locations across London in one leaflet. It also includes information on emergency dental services and tips on oral health. Leaflets will be distributed through an existing mobile tuberculosis screening service which reaches thousands of homeless people each year and also at homeless organisations.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative at the Whitechapel Mission homeless charity, Barry Cockcroft said: ‘The NHS has made fantastic progress in improving access to dentistry but we need to do more to reach people who still have difficulty accessing services, whatever the reason. That’s why we’re working with existing services for homeless people to give them information on where they can go for treatment. By making it easy for homeless people to find dental services especially for them we hope more people will get the dental treatment they need.’
The new project, which is being piloted in London, aims to raise awareness of the implications of poor oral health and the options available for accessing NHS treatment among the homeless community and the professionals who work with them. It is also anticipated the scheme will provide information on the scope and scale of oral health problems among homeless people in London.
The pilot will run through to May 2010. Its impact will be evaluated via analysis of data on individuals attending for dental treatment at the community dental services. Interim results are expected in May 2010 and if it is successful it is hoped the scheme will be adapted for other cities in England with a large homeless community.