'I hadn't been treated by a dentist for 20 years'

A man has described a mobile dentist service that visits homeless organisations as "outstanding" after seeing a dentist for the first time in 20 years.

Neil, who stays at the Arc in Taunton in Somerset, said being treated by staff at the Dentaid bus was "really good thing" and a "relief".

The charity, supported by dental retailer TePe, visits organisations that support the homeless and victims of abuse across the UK.

Ryan Burrows, communications officer at Dentaid, said: "We don't try and force people to go on the unit if they don't want to - but we find that when they do it can really boost them very significantly."

"I've just had my teeth checked, what teeth I've got, which is not many," said Neil.

"It's a good service. It's one step at a time - this is a great way of doing it."

Burrows said the service did not just help with dental health, but with the overall mood and confidence of the people it treats.

TePe's head of clinical education Miranda Pascucci said the van was about more than just dental checks.

"It's about the oral health education the patients receive on the day, that they can take away," she said.

"Small little simple habits that will last a lifetime and can prevent them from having tooth decay or gum disease which can lower the risk of them being in pain.

"It can make such a big difference and it can stop a person from being in long-term pain... it can have such a long-lasting effect, the work that's been done here today."

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