Neil – volunteer dentist
I’ve always wanted to volunteer for Dentaid and now I’m at a point in my career where I’m able to make it happen. I’ve been aware of Dentaid since I was a student because I used to fundraise for the charity with my dental society, so the charity has always been on my radar. These days I work four clinical days a week which has given me the flexibility to get involved. I’ve also been doing a master’s in oral surgery over the past two years, and I just felt it was the right time to give something back.
There’s a large homeless community in London and I’ve wanted to do something to support them for a long time. So far I’ve volunteered twice with Dentaid, once at Crisis at Christmas and more recently at a Single Homelessness Project hostel in Kings Cross, central London. Crisis at Christmas was everything I had hoped for and more.
I really enjoy being able to help by using my skills in a positive way. When you give your time and expertise it feels like a much bigger and more meaningful contribution. Homelessness is a particularly pressing issue in society right now so being able to play even a small part in supporting that community means a lot to me and hopefully, it makes a difference to those we’re helping too.
On clinic at a Single Homelessness Project hostel in London we repaired one man’s front tooth which had fractured off, which is something he had wanted fixed for a long time. It made an immediate difference to his self-confidence and he was really pleased with the result.
Another chap had a decayed wisdom tooth which wasn’t giving him any pain at the moment but we explained that it might lead to problems later on and he chose to have it taken out – he was grateful to get that sorted. We also saw a few patients with sharp or rough edges on their teeth. I offered extractions but they preferred to have the edges smoothed down a little bit which offered some immediate comfort.
From my experience on the clinics some people come in ready for treatment – they’ve got a problem and they want it fixed on the spot. Others know they have issues but aren’t quite in the right mindset for treatment. You can explain the benefits and encourage them but sometimes they’re just not ready. Still, it’s about planting the seed for them to eventually seek help. Even if they don’t go ahead with treatment straight away you’re giving them confidence which can make a big difference.
I’m used to working in small London surgeries so although the mobile dental unit was small it was manageable. You are a bit limited in terms of available equipment compared to a standard clinic, but everything we needed on the day was there. I had a brilliant dental nurse supporting me and the Dentaid team were amazing as well. Everything was well organised and overall it felt like a really good day.
As a Bupa dentist I’m really proud that Bupa has helped to fund a unit for Dentaid and the week of clinics in London, it’s great to see groups and charities working together to support those in real need.
To anyone considering volunteering with Dentaid, I would say you 100% should do it. I understand that the fear of the unknown might put some people off, and we all feel a bit apprehensive working in different environments but it’s definitely worth it!
Written by Neil – Volunteer Dentist – April 2025