Michael Oliver's
Charity Work
"We Love What We Do And We Continue
To Change The Lives Of Others With
Life’s Precious Gift Of A Smile!"
Spotlight on Sunderland with SunFM
I remember when I was at school there would always be a dental nurse come into school and Olivers dental are trying to keep this going. They are giving something back to the community and trying to help kids get into the habit of looking after their teeth.
They have a full session on the best ways to brush as well as showing the kids the types of tools that the dentist might use. It all helps get them into good habits as well as make them less nervous about visiting the dentist. The star of the show is Ollie the Lion, who seems to have become a bit of a celeb,the kids love him.
It's nice to see a local business giving something back and being part of the community while promoting something that we all know we should do properly. You can see that the team genuinely have fun doing this and get all over promoting healthy teeth.
A Day In The Life Of A Dental Maverick
No Pain Dentistry for Moroccan Children
by Dental Mavericks
1st November 2011
Dear Michael
Thank you very, very much for helping Moroccan kids smile more.
Charities are suffering at the moment, so thank for your generosity!
Dental Mavericks worked hard over the last two years to treat over 200 kids from the El Jebah region of the Rif Mountains, North East Morocco but there are still four hundred and fifty kids from the same school who waiting for pain free dentistry.
Hopefully, with support from donors like you, and a little luck, we can keep up the good work and achieve our dream of treating the remaining four hundred and fifty kids.
Please be assured that the donation YOU have made is going to make a real difference. Our aim now is to raise 10K pounds to purchase restorative equipment and a smile ambulance.
From behalf of Dental Mavericks many thanks again for helping us deliver No Pain Dentistry for Moroccan Children.
All the best,
Tony and Cally Gedge
Dental Mavericks 83 Gamble Hill Drive, LS13 4JL 0845 0531515 www.DentalMavericks.org
We Are Givers Of Hands On Help Across Our Local Community. We Reach Out To Give Back Smiles And Spread Our Love Throughout The City Of Sunderland
What started as a visit to a local school to bring dental help and education for young children, turned into a lifelong award winning “healthy teeth for life programme” for the City of Sunderland.
Our efforts were recognised when we scooped the “Sunderland Care In The Community Award 2011” with our local newspaper “The Sunderland Echo”.
More recently, the Studio have extended their care into the community helping to set up a soup kitchen for the homeless.
In addition, the studio ran a gift of a smile competition to give the people of Sunderland an opportunity to win a £10,000 smile. Hundreds of entries were received from Sunderland people who told us just how much winning a smile would change their lives.
Our work in the community gives us a meaningful purpose and enriches the life’s of others without monetary intervention.
Sunderland Dentist Appears On ITV
in Morocco Mission of Mercy
Leaving no regrets on their death beds, a dental delegation of eleven UK dentists, and nurses undertook a journey to the remote Rif Mountains region, in North Eastern Morocco.
They saw, and treated 150 kids for severe dental decay!
The destination: a remote school in a fishing village, with 650 children and a high intake of honey, sweet mint tea. And no dental health service that contributes to extreme dental decay.
Dr Michael Oliver, one of the co founders and trustees of Dental Mavericks is usually found treating patients in his comfortable practice in Sunderland surrounded by modern day dental equipment, running water, and fabulous support team. Everything he could ever need.
Michael and his dental nurse Jo Barella, raised thousands of pounds, which bought a much needed mobile field chair supplied by Dentaid.
“Pain Free Dentistry is at the heart of all we do”, explains Michael Oliver. And he further said, “This year the kids were entertained by games, colouring books and Dental Maverick’s Mascot; Roger the Rabbit! It was such a great dental distraction, that the kids were even asking for more extractions.”
Michael Oliver and Jo recently appeared on ITV spreading the Mavericks cause...
Dental Nurse Jo Barella Also Financed Her Own Trip.
She Held Car Boot Sales, Dance-Athons And Cycled
With A Silly Wig And Bucket.
Jo said, “This was the most overwhelming experience of my dental career and a charity expedition I will never forget.”
Jo’s fundraising video diary http://dentalmavericks.org/support-our-work/fundraising-stories-2011
Cally Gedge from the award winning Dental Mavericks organisation, who organised the annual expedition said, “This is our second year and this Moroccan community now relies on UK dentists to rid them from the daily pain of decayed teeth. There is no free or easy to access dental care.”
In particular, Henry Schein donated eighty percent of the supplies needed. With toothbrush and toothpaste donations made by Verena Tunn-Salihoglu, Oldmachar Dental; Jas Sandhu, High Street Dental, East Grinstead. Dentaid donated visual oral health aids, and made the three mobile field chairs.
Finally, Michael Oliver has a long-term goal too, and a simple one. To buy a Dental Ambulance to get into the more remote villages. A laptop and computer software is now needed to transfer the index cards over. Also, plans are under way to train school teachers to educate children on tooth decay prevention, and bring in a dentist every three months from the nearest town Chefchaouen, two and a half hours away, treating kids in pain.
If you’d like to view pictures of the beautiful Moroccan children, Roger the Rabbit, the mobile field chairs being presented to the local clinic and HD video, make any donations, or sponsor the ‘Moroccan Kids Teeth for Life’ programme, please visit www.dentalmavericks.org or please request HD photos of the ones you like.
Our "Healthy Teeth for Life Campaign”
We are passionate to keep little mouth's healthy and the studio is aware that not all children have access to dental care. Our "Healthy Teeth for Life Campaign” reached out to the children of Sunderland to deliver the message of the importance of healthy teeth for life.
Taking this message out on location around the city, the studio have visited schools, hospitals, the SAFC children’s foundation and the Sunderland Air show.
“Healthy Teeth for life has involved a lot of time and dedication from the business to produce and deliver an oral health strategy aimed at children. We also stage children’s open days within the studio which add a fun innovative element to “healthy teeth for life”.
Dental nurse from Olivers Dental practice, Catherine White along with Ollie the Lion visit children of St Annes school to talk about healthy teeth and dental hygiene.
“Youngsters Had Something To Smile About When Their Teeth Got The Once Over"
The children from St Anne’s Primary School, in Sunderland, enjoyed a visit by a dental team, to talk to them about keeping their teeth and mouths in tip-top shape.
A school spokeswoman said: “The children really enjoyed the talk and learned a lot about the importance of looking after their teeth. It was a really good visit.
“They also got a bigger view of teeth with a super-size model of the mouth, while Ollie the Lion, mascot for Olivers Dental Studio, Durham Road, went along to meet them”.
Our Visit To Sunderland Royal Hospital.
F63 ward is filled with sick children, all being treated for minor and life threatening illness.
Our first contact with this ward was to request a visit over the Christmas period by our Studio mascot Ollie the Lion and Katherine, our tooth fairy, to take gifts for the children donated by our team.
Our request was greatly welcomed by Elaine who is a matron on the ward, however we were shocked to hear from Elaine that ward F63 was desperate for Dental Help.
Elaine explained that this ward was actually utilised for day case dental extractions of children. There was no means of oral health education and prevention due to government cut backs. Elaine asked for our help.
Upon visiting the ward we were shocked to find that dental neglect was right here in the City Of Sunderland.
Children as young a four years old were admitted to a ward with seriously ill children for multiple dental extractions…… Just crazy!
There was a definite need for help here and we were able to work hands on with the children prior to their visit to theatre.
We stayed with the children and their parents throughout their stay. We were able to engage and really home down on the importance of good dental health.
Ollie the Lion and Katherine the tooth fairy brought smiles not only to the children but the young at heart patients and Hospital staff. Further visits have been arranged to continue our magic!
SAFC Children’s Foundation
The Studio has become involved in setting up an oral health project with the SAFC Children’s Foundation.
No other dental practice has offered this type of service and the project was so successful that they are to hold further workshops in the future.
Studio owner Michael Oliver and patient co-ordinator Beverley Mason gave up their time to engage with teenagers who have been eliminated from school and who have behavioural problems. Their message was to educate on harmful effects of smoking linked with poor oral hygiene.
SAFC Foundation Projects Pitstop, Goal and Going for Goals had a visit from a local Dentist - Michael Oliver from Oliver’s Dental Practice in East Herrington who is a dentist to many of our players, past and present.
The group was advised on taking care of their teeth and answered questions about sugar content of foods that they eat regularly. Pupils then investigated foods in their packed lunches and were scored on their sugar/acid levels and how good the foods were for their teeth. The dentist then held a mini quiz for the pupils which they thoroughly enjoyed.
The pupils were given toothbrushes and toothpaste and were advised on how regularly they should brush their teeth. The session ended with a question and answer time with the pupils coming up with some good questions for Mr. Oliver.
The learners in the projects range from year 3- year 11 and are all pupils who may be disengaging from mainstream learning or have disengaged. Pit stop staff work with these young people to try and not only re-engage their enthusiasm for learning but on social issues such as health, behaviour and social skills.
The pupils had some excellent feedback about the visit and all rushed off to brush their teeth after Mr Oliver left. A few of the young people even came back after lunch with Diet Coke instead of Coke or energy drinks. The staff who visited were very at ease with the young people and staff were impressed with their approach and honesty with the young people. SAFC Foundation hope to work with Mr Oliver on a more regular basis in the future.
Teestimonial From Craig Martin, Pit stop Behaviour, SAFC Foundation Co-ordinator
Dental Maverick Adventure Charity Expedition
September The Moroccan Kids Smile 2010
This founding expedition is to help to bring the worlds attention to the ongoing plight of the Moroccan Kids Smile. The North Eastern Coast of Morocco is being messed up by a vast road network (to get tourists to the Rif Mountains).
This is a stunning part of the world and sadly the modern world is interfering and once again the Moroccan children are suffering.
Did you know that in El Jebah 50,000 Moroccans have only one dentist !
If You Would Like To Make A Donation To Help The Children Of North Africa please click here www.dentalmavericks.org
Children’s Open Days
We target parents across the city through Schools, libraries, GP surgeries advertising our children’s open days. We are able to encourage parents to bring along their children if they do not have a dentist. The children can expect a really FUN visit, with competitions Ollie the Lion and even our very own Disney Princess!
Sunderland Air Show
The Sunderland Air Show receives thousands of visitors each year and it was the perfect opportunity to take Ollie The Lion out on location. Ollie gave out toothpaste and toothbrushes to the children of Sunderland and of course he raised a few smiles!!
Gift Of A Smile Competition
Hundreds of entries were received from so many people who were unable to afford smile treatments. Each entrant told us just how life changing winning a smile would be.
St Mary’s Soup Kitchen Sunderland
The Studio has recently become involved in the setup of a soup kitchen which is in the very early stages of development. The team at Olivers have donated items to the kitchen and presented a food parcel during the Christmas Period.
