Straumann Group is raring to go for another successful fundraiser for Dentaid The Dental Charity this September. This year, an intrepid team of cyclists will be traversing top to toe of Portugal – an impressive 746 kilometres – over the course of five days. It will be a beautiful journey, but a demanding one. The route takes them across 11 mountains and crosses 13 rivers, starting at the northernmost point of Portugal, and ending at the beaches of the Algarve. The team are excited for the challenge, not least to add another important donation to Dentaid, which has been a lifeline for vulnerable people all over the world for nearly three decades.
Dentaid The Dental Charity, has worked to improve the lives of patients living in the most difficult circumstances across the world since 1996. Oral diseases affect 3.5 billion people around the world, and Dentaid’s outreach services go to the communities who need it most.
In the UK, Dentaid’s eight mobile dental units take vital treatment and oral hygiene advice to thousands of people who would otherwise struggle to access dental care. Volunteer dental professionals visit soup kitchens, hostels and community centres to deliver services to those experiencing homelessness, survivors of abuse, cancer patients, refugees and asylum seekers, and under-served communities. Dentaid’s compassionate, non-judgemental volunteers allow patients to feel fully supported as they talk about their oral health before being offered treatment.
Every week, Dentaid receives calls from charities and organisations across the UK desperately seeking dental care for their clients. The charity has a number of great opportunities for volunteers to help them serve more communities in need; they are eager to hear from you! The commitment level is flexible, allowing professionals to do as little or as much as they want.
Andy Evans, CEO of Dentaid, will be joining the riders once again for 2024 and comments:
“I’m looking forward to getting back out with a fantastic group of cyclists who are busting a gut over five days. It’s great to meet even more people to share how their hard-raised funds are benefiting vulnerable communities in the UK.
“Thank you also to Straumann for supporting our adventure for another year. The mobile dental unit that was part funded by Straumann in 2023 has now been on the road for a whole year and has enabled hundreds of people experiencing homelessness, abuse and other health equalities to access essential dental care.”
Homelessness in the UK
Reports indicate that homelessness has risen by 14 percent in the last year, and now affects at least 309,000 people in the UK, with a 26 percent 
increase in rough sleeping in the last 12 months.[i] The number of people sleeping rough is now 61percent higher than it was 10 years ago and 120 percent higher than when data collection began in 2010.[ii]
Homelessness affects families across the UK. Between July and September 2023, 109,000 households were living in temporary accommodation, up by 10 percent on the same time last year.[iii] Whatever the state of temporary accommodation, families are unable to refuse, and so can find themselves in less-than-ideal circumstances, sometimes far away from friends, schools and loved ones.
Being homeless is a dehumanising situation, and takes a serious toll on the physical, mental and oral health of sufferers. Reports have found that 41 percent of homeless people reported a long-term physical health problem and 45 percent had a diagnosed mental health problem – almost double the incidence of the general population.[iv]
Homeless populations are at the forefront of current health inequalities in the UK. Most people experiencing homelessness suffer from poor access to dental services, affecting their oral health. Homeless people have an increased risk of tooth decay, periodontal diseases and oral cancer. A recent survey of these communities found that over 78 percent of respondents were concerned about their dental health, and poor oral health had a significant impact on their self-esteem and wellbeing.[v]
A new start
Dentaid The Dental Charity passionately supports the belief that dentistry can play a key part in someone’s journey out of homelessness and help them to move on to a new chapter in their lives. Treatment relieves pain, and helps patients gain much-needed confidence in their smiles.
As Sophie, a Dentaid patient experiencing homelessness in Broadstairs, said: “Today the dentist has built up my tooth at the front and now it looks like a proper tooth. It looks so nice. It’s not just my smile, it’s that he took the time and the care. Before, I couldn’t open my mouth and now I can smile.”
With the right funding, ambitious plans will take Dentaid’s services into dozens of new communities needing support, but the charity needs to raise money to enable this. Due to the great need to expand services this year, Straumann Group and its customers have requested that the majority of the proceeds from the event will benefit patients in the UK.
For more information, visit www.dentaid.org/
Or to donate visit Straumann Group is fundraising for Dentaid (justgiving.com)
[i] Shelter. At least 309,000 people homeless in England today. Available at: https://england.shelter.org.uk/media/press_release/at_least_309000_people_homeless_in_england_today#:~:text=Posted%2014%20Dec%202023&text=The%20charity’s%20research%20shows%20homelessness,most%20of%20whom%20are%20families. December 2023. Accessed March 2024.
[ii] Crisis. Rough sleeping rises by 27% as the homelessness crisis deepens across England. Available at: https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/rough-sleeping-rises-by-27-as-the-homelessness-crisis-deepens-across-england/. February 2024. Accessed March 2024
[iii] Crisis. Rough sleeping rises by 27% as the homelessness crisis deepens across England. Available at: https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/rough-sleeping-rises-by-27-as-the-homelessness-crisis-deepens-across-england/. February 2024. Accessed March 2024
[iv] Leng, G. Local Government Association. The Impact Of Homelessness on Health. Available at: https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/22.7%20HEALTH%20AND%20HOMELESSNESS_v08_WEB_0.PDF September 2017. Accessed March 2024.
[v] Yusuf, H., Golkari, A. & Kaddour, S. Oral health of people experiencing homelessness in London: a mixed methods study. BMC Public Health 23, 1701 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16648-x
