New initiative provides free dental treatment for the homeless in Northern Ireland
A new initiative is providing free dental treatment for homeless people in Northern Ireland.
As part of a new partnership between Bupa Dental Care and Dentaid, homeless people who attend Simon Community NI will have access to free dental care. Dentaid will be visiting the charity’s facilities with its state-of-the-art mobile unit to provide treatment on-site.
The Dentaid mobile unit will provide a range of basic services, including emergency pain relief for those who are suffering from toothache and dental infections, fillings, tooth extractions and hygiene treatments. The team will also be carrying out check-ups, which include oral cancer screening and offering preventative treatments.
Dentaid will visit Simon Community NI centres in Belfast, Armagh and Bangor once a month for the rest of the year.
A study conducted by Groundswell, a homelessness charity, found that 90% of people who are homeless experience dental health issues. Often, they have no means of accessing dental care and they struggle to maintain oral hygiene. Poor nutrition can also elevate the risk of decay and gum disease.
Dentaid currently has a fleet of six mobile dental units, which visit temporary accommodation, shelters, soup kitchens, hostels, charities and community centres up and down the UK. CEO, Andy Evans, said that it has long been an ambition to expand services into Northern Ireland. The new programme with Bupa Dental Care will enable those who need urgent treatment to access pain relief and enable volunteer teams to help individuals to reduce the risk of oral health problems moving forward.
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