Bringing Dental Care Closer to Communities
Untreated dental issues cost English taxpayers over £18mil – what can we do about it?
Access to dental care is a concern for many people across Norfolk. For some, however, there are extra barriers in place. This could be previous negative experiences of dental services, difficulties booking appointments or using referral systems, or simply competing life pressures that make healthcare difficult to prioritise.
Our Nourishing Norfolk food hubs help people beyond just food. We recently partnered with Dentaid, a charity which has brought dental care directly to people facing barriers to treatment through mobile clinics and community outreach programmes across the UK for over 30 years.
Thanks to donations, we could fund Dentaid to deliver dental clinics across two food hubs, bringing dentists directly into trusted community settings. With support from the familiar faces people already knew through their local food hubs, attendees felt confident accessing appointments and receiving dental care they might otherwise have missed.
![A dentist provides treatment for a patient [Photo: Martin Giles BBC]](https://www.norfolkfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2026-08-19-Martin-Giles-BBC-dentaid-image-360x0-c-default.webp "A dentist provides treatment for a patient [Photo: Martin Giles BBC]")
One food hub whose customers felt the benefit was Shrublands Food Club in Gorleston. The first clinic resulted in 36 urgent dental appointments.
One person who attended said:
“I haven’t seen a dentist for 3 or 4 years. I have had 2 teeth taken out. I can enjoy my fish and chips more now. I couldn’t afford a private dentist.”
Another shared:
“Very grateful to all the Shrublands Community Centre and the wonderful dentistry staff that checked and cleaned my teeth, friendly, knowledgeable and kind.”
“By bringing donors and partners together, we’ve been able to pilot a community-based approach that meets people where they are, recognising the many barriers they face beyond traditional services. We hope it will help shape more approaches like this in future.”
At Soul Foundation, the project unlocked even more support. One participant who had lived with chronic dental pain for years was finally able to receive treatment, and Dentaid was able to provide an additional clinic free of charge. A local dentist also offered free follow-up appointments to some patients through his own practice.
Demand was so high that we funded an additional session to ensure urgent cases could be seen. Conversations are also taking place about bringing the model to people experiencing homelessness.
The success of the project came from different organisations working together. Community partners identified the need and built trusted relationships with local residents. Dentaid brought specialist expertise and a flexible service model. Norfolk Community Foundation helped connect insight, funding and action. Together, Norfolk shines brighter.
Initiatives like these only happen thanks to the generosity of people in Norfolk who want to make a difference. Donating regularly to Nourishing Norfolk helps people access the food they need to live well, and access further opportunities like dentistry, help with budgeting, cooking classes, vegetable growing programmes and more.