'Einstein' printers helping to make dental care more accessible-

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A Scottish digital dentistry firm is toasting a year of collaboration which has helped people experiencing hardship and disadvantage to get access to vital dental treatment.

 

Glasgow-based OurCrown Dental formed a partnership last year with Dentaid The Dental Charity which travels across the UK fixing the teeth of the homeless, abuse survivors, vulnerable women, people in poverty and cancer sufferers.

 

Last year the charity helped thousands suffering pain across the UK in settings such as soup kitchens, hostels and community centres, with UK Parliament figures stating that 57% of adults in deprived areas don’t access dental care.

 

Now it has been revealed that Scottish firm OurCrown Dental’s 12 months of support, so far, has led to scores of disadvantaged people getting access to dentistry they would otherwise be denied.

 

Using digital means to help

 

The company supplies quality dentures to the Dentaid charity, at cost price, individualised for each person’s mouth.

 

OurCrown staff use advanced digital technologies such as 3D ‘Einstein’ printers, to enable dentists to move from scanning a patient’s mouth to installing customised, bespoke crowns in only one hour.

 

OurCrown staff with the 'Einstein' 3D printer

 

Co-Founders Jordan Gilmour and Robin Prior first met Dentaid officials at the Birmingham Dental Show and were inspired by their mission whilst appreciating the problems the charity encountered in getting stretched labs to supply free products, consistently.

 

With OurCrown’s processes enabling customised dentures to be made quickly, the company proposed a partnership which would help the charity meet its growing commitments while assisting those without access to conventional dental care.

 

“When I first met representatives from Dentaid, my attitude was: how can we help,” said Jordan Gilmour (pictured, above left) who co-founded OurCrown Dental in 2023.

 

“Sadly, we have these dental deserts now in the UK and some people don’t have access to dentistry at all.”

 

He added: “I feel that any company, big or small, has a corporate responsibility and can play a role. I was aware the charity had to rely on goodwill and staff time and, if dental labs that they were relying on were busy, it could impact the service they could provide the people in need that they want to help.

 

“As we are digital, we can maybe do 15 dentures at a time so we always have free capacity. That is the basis of our involvement. We are also providing at cost.

 

“We are pleased to do what we can to help people get access to care and to move on in their lives.”

 

Restoring dignity

 

Dentaid enables people facing hardship to live free of tooth ache and helps restore their dignity and self-confidence.

 

Some recipients of their support struggle to eat, speak and smile, hindering their quality of life.

 

Sarah Hutchins, UK Clinics Supervisor for Dentaid, said: “OurCrown Dental has helped so many of our patients regain confidence, improve function and, most importantly, smile again with the help of new dentures.

 

“The friendly team at OurCrown has made the volume of cases achievable, by providing good quality dentures, cost-effectively.”

 

OurCrown’s more traditional customer base is dental practices, providing an expert digital design service which reduces waiting time for dentists and patients.

 

From receiving scans, the company can produce precise, individual designs which can be printed in under 20 minutes before being washed and cured, ready for installation into a patient’s mouth.

 

In the past year, however, they have also applied their approach to help disadvantaged people get the dental treatment they require – something they intend to continue.

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According to UK Parliament data:

• 57% of adults from deprived areas are less likely to seek dental treatment, with 41% experiencing pain.
• Ethnic minority individuals on low wages are twice as likely to avoid dental care compared to low income white individuals
• 5 year olds in the most deprived areas were more than twice as likely to have tooth decay compared to those in the least deprived areas
• Groups such as homeless, refugees, people with disabilities and looked-after children face major barriers in accessing dental services
• Millions of low income and disadvantaged people across the UK go without dental treatment.