Mobile clinic embarks on week-long tour to help homeless people in Ipswich
A mobile clinic has spent a week in Ipswich to help homeless people.
The unit, which was provided by CDS-CIC, was based at the Homelessness Hub at the Chapman Centre. Staffed by a dentist and a dental nurse, the clinic was in place to provide a raft of services to those who don’t have a permanent roof over their head. The aim was to bring dental professionals to homeless people to enable them to get the treatment they need.
During the week, the hub and the clinic were visited by the Mayor of Ipswich, Jane Riley. Speaking about her visit, Mayor Riley said that dental care isn’t always the first thing that you think about when you consider the impact of sleeping rough, but the work carried out by CDC is incredibly important. Mayor Riley thanked everyone involved for staffing and providing the mobile unit and said that it was crucial to ensure that more homeless people are able to access screening and oral health services in the future.
CDC-CIC is targeting rough sleepers because they are at greater risk of oral health problems than the general population. Most notably, homeless people have a high risk of developing oral cancer as a result of lifestyle factors and a lack of access to dental care. The week-long event was staged during Mouth Cancer Action Month, which runs throughout November.
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