Charity dentist unit eases pain for NHS patients

Mandy Francis has been waiting seven years for an NHS dentist appointment

A mobile dental clinic has been offering NHS dentist appointments to Cornwall people.

Charity Dentaid provides treatment to people without access to an NHS practice.

The mobile unit is in St Columb Minor on Wednesday and Newquay on Thursday after councillors decided to use a community fund to pay for it.

The Department of Health and Social Care said it was " working to improve access to NHS dental care".

The Dentaid unit is staffed by volunteer dental professionals

Dentaid has seven mobile dental units travelling the country visiting soup kitchens, hostels and community centres with volunteer dental professionals providing dental treatment and oral health advice.

Mandy Francis, who has not had an NHS dental appointment for seven years, said she was "quite excited" at getting treatment in St Columb Minor.

"It's been such a long wait, I've tried everywhere in Cornwall to get an NHS dentist and it's been impossible," she said.

"I was offered an appointment in Devon but that's too far to get to so this really is a blessing."

The number of pre-booked appointments has been limited to 10 a day but organisers hope the unit will visit again next year.

The Department of Health and Social Care said in a statement it was "working to improve access to NHS dental care and have already increased the funding practices receive for high needs patients to encourage dentists to provide more NHS treatments".