A new mobile dental unit that will enable homeless and vulnerable people to access dental treatment was launched in December 2022 after being donated by Bupa Dental Care.
Dentaid’s fifth mobile dental unit was used to provide emergency dental care and oral health advice for people experiencing homelessness in Winchester.
Manned by volunteers, the unit visited Trinity Winchester and eight patients received treatment, so they can be free from dental pain this Christmas.
The vehicle will be used by the charity for its clinics across the UK. In addition to rough sleepers and those who are vulnerably housed, the mobile dental surgery will be used to provide care for families experiencing poverty, victims of domestic violence, fishing communities, refugees and asylum seekers and head and neck cancer patients.
Commenting on the charities’ work, a patient said, “100 per cent helpful and very important for everyone – tooth pain is the worst, especially if it can’t be dealt with!
Neil Sikka, chief dental officer for Bupa Insurance, a long-standing supporter of Dentaid, volunteered in Winchester. Neil said, “Dentaid is an important charity and we are honoured to work with them on such a meaningful project.
“It’s a privilege to volunteer onboard the new unit today and see the visible difference it has made to the patients we’ve treated. We look forward to continuing our work with Dentaid and supporting future initiatives.”
Andy Evans, Dentaid CEO added, “2022 has been our busiest year ever with nearly 280 UK clinics compared with 174 last year. And every day we get requests to visit new locations and help more people. This new vehicle is crucial in enabling us to expand and meet this demand.
“Bupa Dental Care has supported Dentaid for a number of years now. We are committed to increasing access to dental care because we know it can play an important role in helping underserved and vulnerable people move on to a new chapter in their lives and we are grateful that our partnership with Bupa Dental Care helps us to achieve this.”
Dentaid is Bupa Dental Care’s chosen charity and its colleagues have been involved with fundraising events including the Straumann Bike Ride, Super Saturday and community initiatives hosted by Bupa practices.
Bupa colleagues have also regularly volunteered on the charity’s mobile dental units in the UK and joined overseas volunteering teams that support Dentaid’s overseas partners.