Rebekka – volunteer dentist
I really enjoy helping disadvantaged people, which is why I work in an NHS practice and have worked at the local hospital. I like treating patients who may lack access to care and helping them get out of pain. I’ve always wanted to volunteer with Dentaid because I feel like it’s a great way to give something back. It’s a practical way to use the skills I have to help others.
The clinic in Kendal was my first Dentaid clinic and I just enjoyed everything about it. It was really well run and it was lovely to see how appreciative everyone was. The patients knew that you couldn’t fix everything but they were so happy with whatever care they received. It was heartwarming to see people who truly appreciated the help. For me it’s about being able to help people get out of pain so they can eat or do something they couldn’t do before, because everyone should be able to eat without being in pain.
On the day I did a bit of a mix of treatments, it was a few fillings and cleans and then quite a lot of extractions as well to help get people out of pain. I did a few fillings for a man who had shattered his front teeth and he was so overjoyed, he said to me “now I can smile again and I can go apply for a job and do loads of things I couldn’t before”. What I was able to do as a dentist in just 15 minutes made such a big impact on his life, and that was lovely to see.
It was a little different working on a mobile dental unit compared to a normal practice. Obviously it’s smaller but everything I needed was there. I didn’t find it any more difficult than working in my current practice, actually some of the equipment worked better! The equipment on the unit was brand new and if you needed anything you could just ask the dental nurse or the Dentaid supervisor.
Volunteering with Dentaid was everything I expected it to be and more. I honestly think it was the best day of my career so far! It’s exactly what I enjoy doing and I got so much fulfilment from it. It reminded me why I got into dentistry in the first place. It was really rewarding to help someone who hadn’t seen a dentist in maybe 15 years and was in urgent need of care – like that one man that I saw who really needed help, he reminded me why volunteering is so worthwhile.
For anyone thinking about volunteering with Dentaid, I would definitely encourage them to do it. Even if you can’t donate your time all the time, volunteering just once or twice can make a real difference. It’s such a great thing to do.
Written by Rebekka – Volunteer Dentist – April 2025