Dental clinic for patients suffering from dental “misery”

Posted:
5:24 pm November 10, 2021

Patients who endured “unbearable” toothaches for months because they couldn’t find an NHS dentist were helped at a free emergency clinic.

Charity Dentaid visited Bury St Edmunds today, November 10, to alleviate the ‘misery’ of dental pain for those without other access to treatment.

Campaigners have fought for better dental performance in Suffolk, where some people are being forced out of the county for NHS care.

Kelly Smith, 32, of Thetford, said she had contacted at least 20 dental offices, including in Thetford, Cambridge, Newmarket and Haverhill and was unable to register with an NHS dentist .

Ms Smith, a full-time mother of four who attended the free West Road Church dental clinic, said: “I am ready to go anywhere to get the help I need.”

Kelly Smith attended the Dentaid clinic in Bury St Edmunds
– Credit: Mariam Ghaemi

She said she was able to see an emergency dentist in Cambridge about six months ago to have a tooth removed, but came to Bury St Edmunds clinic with “excruciating pain “in another tooth.

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She said: “The pain was really intense. I couldn’t do anything. I also have four children and it was difficult to take care of them with the pain that I felt. received a dose of pain relievers. “

Ms Smith, who spoke to us before receiving treatment, said she didn’t know how she had coped for so long with the pain, which had bothered her for months.

She said she was taken off the list as an NHS dental patient during Covid.

Paul, who requested that his last name not be included, had a tooth removed at the Dentaid clinic.

Paul, who also couldn’t find an NHS dentist, said he suffered from dental pain for three months.

“I’ve been eating on the other side for three months, and all the headaches associated with it too.”

The Dentaid clinic was funded by Denplan, which is part of Simplyhealth, and the company’s clinicians volunteered on the mobile dental unit alongside regular Dentaid volunteers.

Dentaid has worked in more than 70 countries and provides outreach dental care to people who struggle to access treatment, including those who are homeless and vulnerable and fishing communities, but it was the first time that she was coming to Bury St Edmunds.

“As a result of recent media reports, we have been informed that residents of Bury St Edmunds struggle to access dental care which causes unnecessary misery for those living with untreated toothache, ”said Andy Evans, CEO of Dentaid.

Jill Harding, director of communications for Dentaid, said the response from patients at the free clinic had been “wonderful”
– Credit: Mariam Ghaemi

Jill Harding, Dentaid’s communications director, said it was “quite unusual” for Dentaid to need to visit a town like Bury St Edmunds.

“We are here to fill a gap in the supply in the meantime,” she said. “We don’t want someone to suffer from untreated toothache or anyone to feel like they have to live with pain relievers for a long time or have their teeth pulled out.”

Ms Harding believes they will have seen at least 30 patients during the day, and some have been asked to come to the Moreton Hall Community Center tomorrow.

Some people had arrived at 8:15 am today when the clinic had not started until 10:00 am.

Ms. Harding said, “The response from the patients has been wonderful, so much gratitude.”

The association’s mobile dental unit offers free oral cancer screening, dental health advice, fillings and extractions.

There is a clinic at the Moreton Community Center in Bury St Edmunds tomorrow, November 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. People do not need a date and are welcome to introduce themselves and wait to be seen. Each will be sorted to assess their level of need.

Dentaid is now seeking funding so that they can return to Bury St Edmunds to help more people next year.

For more information on the charity see here.