A new £1 million fund is backing dental care for some of Britain’s most vulnerable people.

The mydentist Foundation said it is supporting charitable organisations that help underserved communities, including people recovering from addiction or living in extreme poverty.

Its first initiative is an eco-conscious mobile dental unit that will take treatment directly to people at homeless shelters and women’s shelters. It will also visit hostels, community centres, family hubs and soup kitchens.

The vehicle will offer fillings, extractions, scaling and polishing, fluoride varnish applications, X-rays and oral cancer screenings. It is set to begin operating in October.

In its first year, volunteer dentists and dental nurses will see more than 850 hard-to-reach people in communities across the country onboard the unit.

The initiative was launched with £1 million, or $1.3 million, through a partnership between the Foundation for mydentist, the UK’s largest dental operator, and Dentaid The Dental Charity.

“It’s encouraging to see such strong support for improving access to dental care for those who need it most,” said Nilesh Pandya, CEO of mydentist, an “affordable dental care provider”.

“Through our new foundation and partnership with Dentaid, we’re committed to helping vulnerable and underserved communities access the treatment they need and deserve.”

“By supporting outreach services, we hope to help tackle oral health inequalities and reach people who might otherwise go without care.”

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