Dentistry Show London is proud to be partnering with Dentaid The Dental Charity for the 2023 edition of the event. Dentaid was founded in 1996 with the aim of improving oral health both in the UK and overseas. With the help of their state-of-the-art mobile dental unit, the charity provides dental care and oral health advice for people experiencing homelessness, as well as other underserved communities such as refugees and asylum speakers, survivors of abuse and cancer patients.

Natalie Bradley, Dentaid’s clinical director, spoke to us about the work that the charity is doing to extend dental treatment to people who often struggle to access dentistry. ‘What we do at Dentaid is take care out into communities. For many of these patients, actually getting to a dental surgery is a big barrier in itself. By coming onto their turf to engage with them, we’re able to build that rapport in an environment where patients feel comfortable and well-supported. And so actually, when they come to see us at a dental practice in the future, it’s much less intimidating as they know what to expect.’

Delegates at this year’s Dentistry Show London will have the opportunity to hear from Natalie, who will be giving a lecture at the show about how dental practices can take steps to become more inclusive. Having completed a master’s degree in special care dentistry at King’s College London, Natalie will use her speaking session at the show to educate delegates about which patient groups have additional needs. ‘I’ll be speaking about how to be inclusive of patients who might need a little bit of additional support in accessing dentistry. So that could be patients with diagnoses like head and neck cancer, but also other groups that struggle to access dental care that really need it, such as those that experience homelessness, asylum seekers and looked after children.’

As well as helping delegates to recognise which patient groups may require extra support, Natalie will also give advice on how practitioners can tailor the care they provide for these patients in general dental practice. ‘I will be discussing some reasonable adjustments that dental professionals might need to make when they’re working in practice. I really hope that after this session delegates will feel inspired and well-supported to go the extra mile when looking after patients who might just need a little bit of extra support and a little bit of out-of-the-box thinking. Traditionally, some practitioners might feel they need to refer these patients onwards to community dental services or hospitals, but actually there’s plenty that can be done in the dental practice to take care of these patients. Practitioners should feel confident that they do already possess the right skills. It can be very simple dentistry, but it’s more about the patient journey, and dental professionals can have a really positive impact on patients’ oral and general health.’

As well as special care dentistry, Natalie is also passionate about supporting young dentists at the start of their careers, and is chair of the British Dental Association's Young Dentist Committee. When asked how young dentists just starting out in the profession can make the most out of their career in dentistry, Natalie said, ‘I really advise young dentists to try lots of different things and to challenge preconceptions about what it’s like to work in a dental hospital, a community dental service, or a private dental practice. It’s important to try different things because you never know actually what you really enjoy and what you’re really good at until you have a go at it. Don’t feel pressured to know where you are going in your career just one, two or three years after graduation. There are plenty of routes you can follow within dentistry.’

For Natalie, attending events such as Dentistry Show London is a great way for young dentists to learn more about all the career options open to them, network, and get to know people in the profession that they might not encounter every day. ‘Personally, I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone again. I definitely missed face-to-face meetings during Covid. The Dentistry Show is a real hub of an event, and I’m really looking forward to having those in-person conversations, catching up with people, seeing any new products and innovations, and finding out about any interesting news or developments within dentistry.’

Don’t miss Natalie Bradley’s lecture ‘How to make your dental practice inclusive’ in the Enhanced CPD Theatre on Friday 6th October at 15:50 at this year’s Dentistry Show London, taking place on 6th and 7th October at ExCeL London. And be sure to visit Dentaid’s stand on the exhibition floor to find out more about their important outreach work and how you can get involved.