A Leeds-based dentist is giving the city's homeless community a reason to smile again.
Mr Munaf Qayyumis the owner and principle dentist at High Ash Dental Surgery in Leeds, who is giving up his Wednesday afternoons to transform the smiles of the city's underserved communities.
The state of a person’s teeth can dramatically impact their health, which is something Mr Qayyum knows all too well. Gum disease has been linked to an increased risk of stroke, diabetes and heart disease.
Generally, people experiencing homelessness have poorer dental health and experience higher levels of tooth decay and gum disease. Poor diet, alcohol and drug consumption and a high smoking prevalence also place this population at a higher risk of oral diseases, including mouth cancer.
It’s crucial to maintain good dental hygiene but for people living on the streets it’s virtually impossible. They're often left in severe pain with health complications and no way out.
It is well recognised that people experiencing homelessness face particular challenges in accessing healthcare, particularly dental care services. Barriers include stigma and cost as well as anxiety about dental treatment. The logistics of making and travelling to an appointment can also be prohibitive.
Thankfully for them, friendly and thorough local dentist, Mr Qayyum, has partnered up with local charities, Homeless Street Angels and St George's Crypt to tackle the ongoing problem.
Mr Munaf Qayyum has owned the practise for 22 years, and it is mainly NHS funded, however, they do also offer some private work.
Much like every dentist surgery at the moment High Ash Dental has a high waiting list due to the backlash of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, due to a new NHS programme, which aims to support people experiencing homelessness in Leeds to access dental care, Mr Munaf Qayyum is able to give up one afternoon per week to help those most in need.
The dental public health and dental commissioning teams in West Yorkshire worked with dental care providers, local homelessness charities and other partners to establish two designated “homeless friendly” dental practices offering dedicated sessions for those experiencing homelessness. As part of this, local charities work with the practices to book patients into appointments and support them to attend.
Mr Munaf Qayyum told Leeds Live: "The homeless have had a lot of neglect. In the past they haven't looked after their teeth, a lot of them are now getting back on their feet and sorting their lives out, applying for jobs and such, but of course as soon as they smile they are judged.
"We work alongside St George's Crypt and Homeless Street Angels to get those in need in on a Wednesday afternoon, they are treated just the same as any other patient when they come here.
"I do a check up initially, so if they have got some pain I will just sort of the pain, others who are struggling with confidence issues we will work to transform their teeth - we do fillings, bridges, dentures and whatever is needed to give them back the smile they once had.
"One patient started crying when he saw his teeth, he said he was able to smile for the first time in years. I had another that thanked me just for giving him an injection, they act like you have given them the world they are so grateful.
"It's very rewarding for me, Wednesday's have without a doubt become my favourite day of the week."
Becky Joyce, co-founder of charity Homeless Street Angels, who assists in getting the patients to the dentist, said: "I take them every Wednesday its like a day out for them they love it.
"We've been discussing doing something like this for years as High Ash is my dentist, then we started zoom calls with public health England and the dentists through our lock down to discuss how it would work as they had already started the module in Manchester.
"I usually take two or three of our clients on a Wednesday. It's life changing for them, they dont just get their smile back they get their confidence and pride back."
One patient, John Nicholson, said: "I never used to smile because I lost both of my front teeth, I was ashamed to go to the dentist in the first place but they were so welcoming, they are really nice people and after the first time I felt comfortable going.
"Now I've got my teeth back I smile every day, every time I go out I make sure I use them, it's brilliant."
Stefan Serban, Consultant in Dental Public Health at NHS England, who led on the initiative said: “Often when dentists see patients who are experiencing homelessness there is an acute dental need. This, coupled with other healthcare needs, means that care and treatment for these patients can be more complex and time consuming.
"By working together with local partners, we can ensure that people are seen in a timely manner which is suited to their need; helping to prevent more serious problems.
“The designated practices are also helping to build trust within the homeless community, providing a safe space where people can access the care and treatment they need without fear of judgement.
“During the first four months of the programme nearly 70 people experiencing homelessness have received dental care in Leeds. The impact of this new service goes beyond the numbers and charities are reporting the life changing effects it is having on restoring their client’s dignity, their ability to talk, smile and eat without pain or shame.
“This work is based on a similar model developed in Manchester which has been successfully operating for several years. The model was adapted to the local context and is being piloted for one year. The findings of the evaluation will inform the future design of the service in Leeds as well as other localities within the region.
Along with people experiencing homelessness, the initiative also hopes to improve access to dental services for looked after children and vulnerable migrants.
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