Shona Ferrow was one of 14 people to receive a free check-up from Racing Welfare’s mobile dentist unit, which visited the town on Tuesday August 6.
Ms Ferrow, who is a work rider, said: “I’ve not seen a dentist since I moved to Newmarket five years ago because I’ve not been able to get into anywhere.”
The initiative, organised by Racing Welfare, offers dental care such as check-ups, x-rays and fillings to members of the racing community who are not registered with a dentist and have not had a check-up in the last 12 months.
A second visit is planned for Monday August 19.
Inside the mobile dentist unit (Image: Racing Welfare) Ms Ferrow received x-rays during her appointment and is now booked in to have teeth extracted.
She said: “It’s brilliant.
“Racing Welfare were very good with organising all of the time slots, they accommodate all racing staff very well.”
A government survey last year found that one in four patients who had tried to see an NHS dentist in the previous two years were unsuccessful.
Some rural areas, including parts of Suffolk and Norfolk, have been labelled ‘dental deserts’ due to the high number of people unable to register with an NHS dentist.
William Dixon (retired yard person) and wife Sandra Dixon at the mobile unit. (Image: Racing Welfare)
Aimee Hockley-Righton, regional welfare manager at Racing Welfare, said: “We know that access to NHS dental care is a growing concern, particularly in rural areas where many of our beneficiaries live and work.
“This mobile dental service is a crucial step in helping to remove barriers and ensure the racing community gets the healthcare it needs, and we’re proud to have facilitated this support for industry staff and their families for the first time.”