Charities partner to launch dental clinics in Northern Ireland

Clients at Simon Community NI who are suffering the misery of toothache will be able to have free emergency pain relieving treatments on the Dentaid mobile unit. Volunteers from Bupa Dental Care will be visiting Simon Community NI services in Belfast, Bangor and Armagh every month for the rest of the year. In addition to offering extractions and fillings, the team will be providing oral cancer checks, scale and polish, preventative treatments and dental health advice.

According to research by Groundswell, 90 per cent of people experiencing homelessness have suffered problems with their mouths. More than half are currently living with the misery of toothache, and for some, the problem has become so severe that they have tried to extract their own teeth. Dentaid The Dental Charity has six mobile dental units that visit soup kitchens, hostels, temporary accommodations and community buildings across the UK. In addition to people experiencing homelessness, the charity’s patients include survivors of abuse, refugees and asylum seekers, cancer patients, fishing communities and people overcoming addiction.