An illuminating look at Blackpool’s dark side

Dentaid volunteer Benjamin Veale and BADN
volunteer dental nurse Michelle Brand with a
relieved patient

Deputy Chief Dental Officer, England, Eric Rooney (centre) with Horizon
volunteers Adrian (left) and Karl (right)

Dentaid mobile unit

Everyone knows Blackpool – the tower, the three piers, the lights, ‘kiss me quick’ hats, donkey rides on the beach and so on. But there is a much darker side to the UK’s favourite seaside resort – Blackpool has some of the worst dental health statistics in the country, due to high levels of poverty, low levels of employment, poor diet, and high levels of people misusing drugs and alcohol in the town. There is also a large transient population, and a high level of homelessness in Blackpool that worsens the problem.