A New Smile, A New Confidence: Transforming Lives Through Denture Care
For many people, a smile is something they take for granted. However, for one Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise patient, years without dental treatment had left them with few remaining and badly damaged teeth, leaving them self-conscious about the appearance of their smile and concerned about treatment.
When the patient attended our Truro Dental Education Facility, they required the extraction of multiple teeth and retained roots before the provision of upper and lower complete dentures. Understandably, the patient felt anxious about the treatment process and the impact it would have on their day-to-day life.
Working closely with the patient to address their concerns and provide treatment in a supportive environment, fourth-year undergraduate dental students from the University of Plymouth’s Dental Surgery programme undertook treatment over the course of nine months.
Under the supervision of qualified dentists, the undergraduate students developed a carefully planned treatment journey designed to support the patient every step of the way, allaying concerns and expediting care. Rather than completing all extractions at once, treatment was carried out in phases, allowing the patient to continue wearing their existing single-tooth denture for as long as possible while their new dentures were being created.
Immediate complete dentures were constructed prior to the final extractions, ensuring that when the day arrived for the last tooth to be removed, the patient could leave the clinic with brand new immediate complete dentures and a fully restored smile.
As healing progressed, pre booked, regular review appointments were scheduled and minor adjustments and modification of the immediate dentures ensured that they remained comfortable and functional during the healing phase. The adjustments included a chair-side reline of the lower denture, helping the patient to accommodate to changes in the healing tissues, significantly improving the fit, stability and comfort of the dentures while ensuring the patient was never without the dentures.
This transformation not only replaced missing teeth, but it also restored the patient’s confidence.
Reflecting on their experience, the patient said:
“Always kept informed and discussed all my treatment all the way through with me. The people are all kind and helpful. Very pleased with my dentures and all the compliments I have had about how natural and nice they are.”
A Learning Experience with Lasting Impact
For Ella Owen, the undergraduate student involved in the patient’s care, the case provided an opportunity to develop her clinical skills while supporting a patient through a significant life-changing treatment journey. Ella commented:
“This case provided invaluable experience in the planning and construction of immediate complete dentures, as well as the ongoing adjustment and maintenance required throughout the healing process.
Most importantly, it demonstrated the profound impact that dental treatment can have on a patient’s confidence and quality of life. Seeing the patient’s delight with their new smile was incredibly rewarding, and I am proud to have played a part in helping them regain both function and self-confidence.”
Guy Lambourn, Clinical Lead at Truro Dental Education Facility, said:
“This case demonstrates how a collaborative approach between the patient, students, qualified supervising dental team and the dental laboratory can deliver excellent outcomes for patients requiring complete dentures. Immediate denture treatment requires careful planning, from the timing of extractions through to denture construction and the ongoing adjustments which will inevitably be needed as healing takes place.
For our students, cases like this provide valuable experience in managing multistage treatment journeys from start to finish that have the patient at their centre. Carrying out such treatments aids the students in developing an understanding of the technical, clinical and communication skills required to support patients through significant oral rehabilitation. Seeing the positive impact that treatment has on a patient’s confidence and quality of life is an important part of that learning experience and is vital to preparing our students for a future professional career where the patient is at the very centre of any treatment provided”
Training the Next Generation of Dental Professionals
Cases like this highlight the unique role of Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise’s Dental Education Facilities, where patients receive care from undergraduate dental students working under the close supervision of experienced dental professionals.
Our clinics provide valuable clinical learning opportunities for future dental professionals while delivering high-quality care to communities across the South West. Patients benefit from a supportive, team-based approach, often helping students develop the skills and confidence they will carry throughout their careers. Find more information about how our undergraduate clinics operate here.
For this patient, the treatment delivered far more than a new set of dentures. It restored the confidence to smile again, knowing their dentures looked natural and felt comfortable. Their experience is a reminder of the life-changing impact that high-quality dental care can have, not only on oral health, but on self-esteem and everyday wellbeing.
Working in Partnership
The successful delivery of complex restorative treatments also relies on close collaboration with our laboratory provider; Swift Dental Group has provided external laboratory services to Peninsula Dental School since 2020 and works closely with Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise to provide prosthetic and restorative services across our Dental Education Facilities.
This partnership helps ensure patients receive high-quality appliances while supporting the clinical education of the next generation of dental professionals.
Find out more about Swift Dental here.
