Let's talk about Teeth!

Written by self-advocates and staff members Ray and Sam. 

Hello from the People First Team!

On Tuesday 30th September 2025 some of us self-advocates got together at Deptford Library to have a big conversation about dental services and dental hygiene care.

We talked about the good, the bad and what needs to change to better support people with learning difficulties and disabilities. 

It was a chance for us to speak up, and be honest about the lack of care, unfair treatment, and the current systems and services that are not working and need to change. We also got to share our experiences and real ideas to help dentists understand our needs better. 

Although we were highlighting a serious concern in the health care service, it was also a day of fun, laughs, support and connections with new and old faces. 

Meet Mona - A Dentist Who Cares
 
The workshop was led by Mona Nasser, a dentist and researcher who wants to find ways to make dental services better for people with learning difficulties and disabilities.
 
Mona is working with a team from:

• The University of Plymouth
• Learning Disability England
• Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

The team wanted to know:

• How can we make going to the dentist easier and better?
• What do people with learning disabilities really want from dental services?

What did we do?

Everybody got to have their voices heard.
Not only did we take part in meaningful discussions with other people with learning disabilities, and dentists, we also had a graphic illustrator drawing our words into art.
 
While we were speaking, the illustrator was listening closely and turning our stories and experiences into one big piece of artwork.
Our voices became something we could see  - an empowering picture of our experiences at the dentist.

We were also split in to two groups - one group went upstairs, and I (Sam) stayed in the group that stayed downstairs. 

There was a washing line filled with questions like:

• What helps you feel calm at the dentist?
• What's made a dentist visit difficult in the past?
• What do you wish dentists would do differently?
• Would knowing about your treatment and cost beforehand help?

During this event people shared some powerful thoughts. 

Here are some of the things that came up:

• We want dentists to talk to us clearly and directly.
• We want the dentists to explain what they are going to do during our treatment. 
• Music will help calm my nerves and anxiety.
• Waiting rooms need to feel safe and welcoming.
• We need accessible information in paper format, not everyone can fill out forms online.
• We want to understand our treatment, what we are getting and how much it will cost. 
• Friendly staff that have learning difficult and disability training.
• We need more Easy Read information 
• Don't rush us, give us time to process what is happening and to ask questions. 

These are some of the things people said would improve their experiences at the dentist:

• Soothing music during appointments 
• Easy Read leaflet and information explaining different treatments and payment
• Clear information about NHS and private treatment 
• Time to ask questions before and after 
• A quiet area to wait
• Sensory toys 
• Being treated with respect, not spoken over 
• Have clear signs in Easy Read in the waiting room 

Why it matters

We should be treated like everyone else! Plus going to the dentist can be a scary and confusing place for people like us.

My peers have similar stories about not understanding what´s going on when getting dental treatment, because no one takes the time to explain, and if they do it's not in plain English. Often times we feel uncomfortable due to the loud noise of the dental tools or just feeling rushed and uncared for. You also feel like you're not being listened to. All of this and more leads to us feeling unsafe and unsupported when looking after our teeth. 

This workshop was a reminder that our voices can lead to real change. By sharing our thoughts and ideas, we can help build a better future for the services we receive, not just for ourselves, but for others too.