In the UK Dentaid provides free dental care for homeless and vulnerable people. Our mobile dental units visit hostels, day centres and night shelters providing emergency treatment for people who find it difficult to access dental care. We also run oral health education programmes in British schools.
It is a sad fact that many people in the UK don’t receive dental care.
Many homeless and vulnerable people aren’t registered with a dentist and live with long-term pain and infections. Sadly, 70 per cent of homeless people have dental problems and 15 per cent have tried to extract their own teeth.
Some people who work long, unpredictable hours, feel that taking time off work to visit a dentist is impractical and unaffordable, while in some parts of the country there are long waiting lists to register for NHS dental care. Furthermore, 40 per cent of British children don’t receive regular dental check-ups or oral health education.
Dentaid has a range of projects to tackle these problems.
Our mobile dental units visit homeless shelters, soup kitchens and community buildings across the country with volunteers providing free dental screening, advice and treatment for people who aren’t registered for NHS dental care.
By taking a dental service to a location where our patients already feel safe and comfortable, we can start to break down barriers and help them access essential dental treatment.
Dentaid has worked in more than 70 countries providing safe, sustainable dental treatment in poor and remote communities. We support dentists around the world by providing equipment, running oral health programmes and sending teams of volunteer dental professionals to help them reach more patients.
Dentaid has worked in more than 70 countries since the charity was formed in 1996.
We are committed to supporting the work of local dentists by providing equipment, funding outreach programmes and sending teams of volunteer UK dental professionals to work alongside them.
Dentaid is passionate about empowering dental professionals working in some of the poorest and most remote communities in the world.
Around the world there are 3.9 billion people living with dental decay which can affect their health and wellbeing.
The DentaidBox is an entire dental surgery that fits into a wheelie bin!
These portable surgeries are sent to our dental partners around the world so they can provide life-changing dental care for their patients in the most remote locations.
The box includes a portable, folding Dentaid chair, dental instruments, a pressure cooker for sterilization, consumables, oral health education resources and everything our dental partners need to provide basic dental care without access to running water or electricity.
If you haven’t already, make sure you sign up to become a volunteer for Dentaid today! Click the link below to find out how.