One of the charity’s trustees, Jonathan Gollings, has recently returned from France where he saw the desperate need for dental care in the camps. Hundreds of people, including many children, are suffering dental pain after travelling across Europe to find work or flee war and persecution. Many have serious dental problems with an average of eight people a day arriving with an abscess.
French law states that any dentist who works in the camps must be registered in the country and have permission to practice in Calais. Dentaid is now appealing for any UK dentists who registered to practice in France, or French dentists, to volunteer their skills.
Dentaid provides equipment and DentaidBoxes – entire dental surgeries that fit into a wheelie bin and can be operated without electricity and water - to countries all over the world were people are suffering due to a lack of dental care.
The charity also sends teams of volunteer dental professionals to Asia, Africa and South America – but is now keen to help closer to home in the wake of the migrant crisis and provide emergency dentistry for those in pain.
“We have been approached because there is a desperate need for dentistry in the refugee camps at Calais,” said strategic director of Dentaid, Andy Evans. “We are hoping we can find a team of dentists who are registered to practice in France so we can make a real difference. Dentaid is a charity that is committed to eradicating dental pain all over the world whatever people’s circumstances are.”
Dentists who have permission to practice in France and particularly the Calais region are asked to contact Dentaid on 01794 324249. To find out more about the charity visit www.dentaid.org