Wharf dentist to bring smiles to India

Neil's company will sponsor a section of a train called Lifeline Express which travels across the Madhya Pradesh region providing health care to disadvantaged communities.

The Wharf-based company will provide equipment and expert help in the dental field.

Neil, 44, said: "It's a great way of getting to communities. In India if you've got a toothache you don't travel, you just suffer.

"We want to sponsor it but also help by getting a network of dentists taking it in turns to go out there.

"It will all be pro bono, giving them a chance to give something back. I've already had a dozen or so say they are interested."

Barbican Dental Care has been in Canary Wharf since it opened a surgery in 1995. It also has dentistries in Credit Suisse and another at Bank Street.

Neil started his company with one chair in the Barbican. It has now grown to 17.

Neil said: "We treat about 25,000 people in Canary Wharf. It's probably nice for them to know that some of their money is going to something like this."

It is not the first time Neil has helped the disadvantaged of India. In 2007 he set up a dental surgery in Gwalior, one of the most deprived parts of the country.

A year later Neil teamed up with Dentaid to provide dental equipment for Cambodian communities around Kampong Cham.

On the Lifeline Express train the treatment will cover oral health education, scaling, fillings and extractions.

The train has been running as a mobile hospital for 17 years, with a doctors and opticians also on board.

Neil plans to head out to India some time over May or June to set up the dentistry. Both of Neil's parents were born in India and he goes over to the region every year.

He said: "In the west we are lucky to have access to affordable and professional dental care.

"However, in the farthest reaches of remote India it is beyond a luxury, with many not being able to receive treatment, even if they could afford it.

"As a result, people there live with the debilitating pain of toothache day in, day out. By teaming up with Impact, I am confident we will be able to provide dental care to those who need it and give them a reason to smile."