Volunteer in the UK
Volunteering opportunities
Spend a day volunteering on one of our mobile dental units providing dental care to those who need it most.
BrightBites volunteering
Volunteer with BrightBites to help provide fun and interactive oral health education to school-age children.
UK volunteering application
Complete this short application form to register your interest in UK volunteering.
Our mobile dental units
Clinics take place on our mobile dental units outside hostels, day centres, soup kitchens, community centres and public buildings.
On-board our UK volunteer dentists and dental nurses provide free screening and treatment for all our patients including oral cancer checks, scale and polish, fluoride varnish, x-rays, fillings and extractions.
Who we help
For many homeless and vulnerable people, accessing dental care is incredibly difficult. Our mobile dental units visit soup kitchens, women's refuge centres, hostels and day centres, with volunteers providing free pain-relieving dental treatments, preventive and restorative care and oral health advice.
We provide dental care to people experiencing homelessness, refugees and asylum seekers, families experiencing poverty, military veterans, survivors of abuse, fishermen and their families, children in areas of high social deprivation and victims of domestic violence. Our aim is to help patients out of dental pain and help to restore their self-esteem.
Many patients will not have seen a dentist for many years and may be suffering from anxiety, mental health problems and long-term dental pain. By running a clinic in a location where they feel safe and familiar we can help them out of immediate pain and help them to re-engage with dental care.
We have volunteering opportunities for dentists and dental nurses on board our mobile dental units, to work alongside Dentaid The Dental Charity staff to deliver vital dental treatments.
A day on a clinic in Maidstone
"This has changed my whole life.” These were the words of a patient who received dental treatment on our mobile dental unit during a visit to Maidstone Day Centre, a place supporting vulnerable individuals who have experienced homelessness. In this video, Dentistry visits the clinic in Maidstone, Kent, to hear from patients, meet the volunteer dentists, and speak with the Dentaid team who were staffing the clinic on the day.
What our volunteers say
“I had another fantastic day with the Dentaid The Dental Charity team treating vulnerable communities in Brighton. It is interesting when I look back on my career. When I first qualified, I took my vocation a little for granted, assuming that I was just doing my job when I treated my patients. However, the more that I work with Dentaid, the more I appreciate how important it is to use the skills you have to help those less fortunate. I would urge all my fellow clinicians to support Dentaid by working on the many mobile units operating around the country. Believe me, it will put a smile on your face all the way home!”
Neil Sikka, volunteer dentist
What our volunteers say
"I volunteered with Dentaid because I wanted to help people I wouldn’t normally see at my practice. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the difference you make. People are so thankful, and you know you've truly helped them. Many of the patients say it’s a relief to be treated and spoken to like a regular person. I was surprised at how organised and well-equipped the van was, it can be a bit of a squeeze but you get used to it!
Before my first day, I had no idea what to expect, but after my first clinic, I called the office straight away to ask if I could do more!”
Lisa Chick, volunteer dental nurse
What our volunteers say
“I first volunteered with Dentaid to help me reignite my flagging enthusiasm for my career. It turns out it was just what the dentist ordered!
It started with nursing shifts in the traveling clinics. The more I got involved, the more I began to feel like a part of it! You become the face of actual help for people who can't access dental care anywhere else. You hear about their worries and dental pain and their relief that they are finally able to have something done about it! Your preconceptions get completely blown away and you achieve something - all within the space of a 4-hour block. Truly not a bad way to spend an odd day off!”
Lucia Staniewicz, volunteer dental nurse
What our volunteers say
"Spending a day volunteering with Dentaid in Worthing was both humbling and uplifting. It was inspiring to see firsthand how the Oral-B funds generated through our coupon program are making a tangible difference, bringing essential dental care to those who need it most. Dentaid currently operates 11 mobile dental vans across the country, running around 400 clinics this year and aiming to increase to 500 next year. These clinics provide critical services for people who, due to unforeseen hardships like workplace injuries, human trafficking or the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, find themselves homeless and unable to afford dental care. I was struck by the stories of resilience shared by the patients. Many had faced life-altering circumstances and their gratitude for the treatments was noticeable. As a volunteer, I had the opportunity to take patients' medical histories and escort them to the van for their appointments. It was incredible to witness the immediate relief that Dentaid’s work brings. If you ever have the chance, I strongly recommend volunteering with Dentaid."
Phil Jones, volunteer medical history taker
What to do next
Step 1
For all volunteering enquiries please email - ukclinics@dentaid.org