Emma – volunteer dental nurse

A significant disadvantage in dentistry is the unequal access to care, making it difficult to receive timely and necessary treatment. Volunteering with Dentaid has shown me a side of dentistry that I never experienced during my dental nurse training. For many people barriers such as homelessness, poverty, financial hardship or difficult personal circumstances make it impossible to access healthcare. Dentaid The Dental Charity helps bridge this gap by bringing essential dental care directly to those who need it most.

I first volunteered with Dentaid in January 2025 at a clinic supporting vulnerable women in Liverpool. The experience was incredibly eye-opening and at times challenging, yet it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career so far.

At the time, I was a trainee dental nurse. I was nervous, lacked confidence and had never volunteered before. However, when I arrived I was welcomed by a friendly, supportive team who immediately put me at ease. Working alongside a volunteer dentist and a multidisciplinary team, it became clear that everyone shared the same goal.

Since then, I have signed up to volunteer overseas and more recently, at a local clinic supporting families experiencing poverty on the Wirral. This clinic, yet again, introduced me to people from different walks of life who I wouldn’t necessarily encounter day to day at my general dental practice.

Volunteering has also given me opportunities to work with and learn from an incredible team of dental professionals. Meeting volunteers from different backgrounds has allowed me to build new skills, expand my professional network and gain valuable experience outside of a typical, traditional dental setting. Both experiences have had a significant impact on my personal and professional development by enhancing my confidence and strengthening my communication skills. The skills I have developed from volunteering are invaluable skills that I will now carry with me into everyday practice, that will continue to build throughout my career.

I believe volunteering is one of the most valuable experiences anyone in the dental profession can have. It challenges you, broadens your perspective and reminds you why you chose a career in healthcare. It highlights both the inequalities that exist within dentistry and the positive impact that healthcare professionals can have on the lives of others.

I am incredibly grateful to Dentaid for giving me these opportunities and would encourage anyone considering volunteering to get involved. Not only will you help provide essential care to those who need it most, you’ll experience a completely different side to dentistry, that many professionals won’t ever encounter in their career. It’s an opportunity to develop your confidence, expand your knowledge, meet inspirational people and most importantly, make a genuine difference to someone’s life.