Mobile vans try to address NHS dentist issues

Twelve-year-old Kyran has never visited a dentist before

Mobile dentist vans are being deployed to supermarket car parks in Cornwall as part of a new initiative to improve access to NHS services.

Smile Together targets veterans, the fishing community and schoolchildren who have waited a long time for appointments.

The NHS chief dental officer said the vans, which were funded by the local integrated care board, were "one element of a jigsaw puzzle that we're trying to fix".

Smile Together said 99% of dentists in the South West were not accepting adult patients for NHS-funded treatment.

Dylan the dragon is the mascot for Smile Together

Matthew Jerreat is the regional chief dental officer for the NHS in the South West.

He said: "I think there's still work to be done, but I think, in Cornwall, this is one part of the puzzle to try and actually get access to NHS dentists.

"Some people might be surprised to know that we do have urgent care services for patients that are in pain, they can get an appointment by calling 111.

"You can also get an appointment for emergency or non-urgent care by using the Smile Together website.

"We hope to get to a place where children can get checked up every six months, but there's still work to do."

'Fishermen, veterans and children'

Smile Together commercial manager Dave Bustin said the the van scheme was invite-only at the moment.

He said: "We've been commissioned to provide services to fishermen, veterans and children from the waiting list, so we're making direct contact with those groups and give them treatment at a car park here in Penzance.

"We've worked previously to target the fishing community with our Smiles at Sea campaign and now we're continuing that work in more places.

"We're also working with Humphrey Davy School in Penzance to ask who hasn't got a dentist.

"We took the mobile unit directly to the school and we've seen more than 30 children already to get them out of pain and deliver treatment.

"People know how difficult it is to get an NHS dentist, so it's great to get this service out into the community."

Twelve-year-old Kyran has never visited a dentist before.

His mum Becky said: "My children used to be registered at a practice in Penzance, but after Covid they stopped taking any NHS patients at all.

"My older son managed to get an emergency appointment because he had toothache but this check up is the first time Kyran has ever been.

"I didn't try to get them into another practice because everyone told me it was impossible.

"I jumped at the chance when I heard about this mobile service from the school."