Rebecca – volunteer dental nurse
I looked into Dentaid initially because I was made aware that Bupa is a sponsor for this charity and as treatment co-ordinator I arrange all of our practice community and charity events. Considering the amount of different groups and backgrounds of people that Dentaid help, it was a fabulous opportunity to give back and represent such a big company for more than just general dentistry.
The thing I enjoy the most about volunteering for Dentaid is the fact I can use my skills and qualifications to help those less fortunate. The work I do day to day in practice can be invaluable to those people who may not have access to essential dental services.
It’s also a good opportunity to meet new, like-minded people and be part of the bigger picture, being able to give back to our community and country overall. We attended a volunteer day to help people experiencing homelessness and managed to perform a few extractions and fillings on the day. We were also lucky enough to be able to refer to a local practice who were offering up to 6 NHS appointments to up to 10 patients. This meant one lovely lady was able to have a full set of dentures made so she can attend job interviews and get herself back on her feet!
What I expected of the day was pretty much what we experienced. We knew there would be a few people queued up waiting to see us and were willing to wait. We did our best to see as many as we could during our volunteering shift. It was a really rewarding experience.I would say that some of the materials and equipment in the mobile unit were slightly outdated, but we brought some resources with us on the day which we did utilise. We also tried to bring over some donations from practice to leave there. Using the dental unit was quite easy as it does have everything required for emergency treatment and on the day, we found using the chair and x-ray equipment quite easy to use.
I’d say that if you were interested in expanding your experience in dental, volunteering for Dentaid is an amazing way to see dentistry from a different perspective.
Especially if you’re used to working in a private practice and not having to “make do” with things just to get people out of pain. The people who attend the mobile unit, wherever it’s placed, are obviously in need of urgent care and advice. Being able to help them with the skills and knowledge you already have brings such a positive feeling of community and giving, it’s easy to want to continue!
Written by Rebecca – Dental Nurse – January 2025