Cardiff’s Oasis Centre recently opened a mobile dental clinic to provide much-needed dental care to local residents.
Over two days, volunteer dentists and dental nurses treated over 20 patients, including children, suffering from toothaches and other dental issues.
The service, funded by dental equipment company Henry Schein and run by the charity Dentaid, marked its first visit to Cardiff.
The mobile dental clinic is one of 11 across the UK, providing care to people experiencing homelessness, poverty, or abuse in shelters, hostels, and community centers.
One patient, who had been waiting three years for a dentist, said: “The whole process was very smooth and reassuring. The dentist and nurse were very supportive, and I didn’t feel anxious at all.”
Jill Harding, Head of Fundraising and Communications at Dentaid, said: “We are delighted to be bringing our service to Cardiff for the first time and are grateful to Oasis and Henry Schein for their help. We recently opened a clinic in Newport and look forward to returning to South Wales soon.”
Tomos Owen, Deputy CEO of Oasis, added: “The feedback from our users has been extremely positive. Many people have suffered from dental problems for years without being able to get treatment. This program will help prevent more serious problems.”
Chris Drake of Henry Schein said: “It’s fantastic to be bringing this program to Cardiff. Some patients have never seen a dentist before, and it’s great to be able to provide urgent dental care to those who need it.”