New name new look
An award-winning dental charity has a new name and a new look!
In March 2023, Dentaid will change its name to Dentaid The Dental Charity complete with a new logo, branding and website.The charity was founded in 1996 and for the first 20 years predominantly worked overseas providing equipment, support and teams of volunteers to help dental professionals around the world increase access to care in poor and remote communities.
Although this international work continues today, Dentaid The Dental Charity has seen huge expansion in its UK projects particularly since the pandemic.The charity now has seven mobile dental units and a trailer that are used to provide dental services for people experiencing homelessness and other under-served communities. Regional hubs are being established in the north and southeast of England and the charity’s BrightBites programme is delivered in schools and nurseries across the UK.
This year the charity will run in the region of 500 UK clinics for people experiencing homelessness and other hard to reach groups. This is nearly double last year’s figure of 276 and in 2021 Dentaid The Dental Charity ran 174 UK clinics.
In addition to rough sleepers and those who are vulnerably housed, the charity’s patients include families experiencing poverty, cancer patients, refugees and asylum seekers, survivors of abuse, fishing communities and ex-service personnel. Demand for its work continues to soar and the charity has already visited 25 new locations this year.
Last June, Dentaid won the Healthcare and Medical Research category at the prestigious Charity Awards helping the charity to secure new funding, partnerships and exposure.
“We have achieved a lot with our old logo and branding but after a period of rapid expansion particularly in the UK we feel it’s time for a change,” said CEO Andy Evans. “We need branding that better reflects all the work we are doing in this country and gives us a modern look. Members of the public are increasingly aware of the need for a dental charity and awareness of our work is stronger than ever. However, we also know how strong the Dentaid name is in the dental sector and we are lucky to enjoy the support of so many corporate partners and volunteers. By changing our name to Dentaid The Dental Charity we are keeping everything we’ve achieved so far and being clear about what we do as we continue to grow and move forward.”
The rebrand is being carried out with the help of specific grant funding. It includes new wrapping for the mobile dental units, marketing materials and a website that makes it easier for volunteers to sign up. The charity’s UK and overseas work have separate sections of the website to make it easier for project partners, volunteers and funders to navigate the site. The new logo incorporates a heart and tooth reflecting the charity’s values.
“We know we are experts in the care we provide for our patients and everything that we do is about breaking down barriers and giving under-served groups the best possible chance of accessing dental care” added Andy. “It’s not just about dentistry, it’s about listening to our patients and offering them a caring, compassionate service that meets their needs. We know that dentistry can play a part in helping our patients move on to a new chapter in their lives. And thanks to our amazing staff and volunteers, we are out there, every day, giving them the chance to see a dentist, talk about their oral health and receive treatment. We want to thank everyone who’s been part of our journey so far and are excited to reveal our new name and look. We know there are many more exciting and busy times ahead for Dentaid The Dental Charity.”