It is intended to provide care to adults experiencing social disadvantage, including people impacted by homelessness, financial hardship, mental health challenges, and alcohol and other drug dependency.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ddda999d12ddb3dce0c8016e7087cdcfc997c960.jpg\")
Camera IconThe opening ceremony included a welcome to country by Uncle Charlie and Aunty Helen Kickett. Credit: David Broadway<\/p>\n
Uniting Smiles board director Amanda Phoon Nguyen said the clinic was created to address a gap in Perth\u2019s dental charity services. Dentists who were willing to volunteer did not have a dedicated location where they could provide the care.<\/p>\n
\u201cDentists were wanting to volunteer, but if they didn\u2019t own their own clinic, it was difficult to know where they could do that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Uniting Smiles fundraised to establish the clinic and secured support to built it in partnership with Palmerston Association.<\/p>\n
Dr Phoon Nguyen said the new facility brings together dental professionals, charity organisations and community health services in one location.<\/p>\n
\u201cDentists now have a place to volunteer and organisations have a place to bring their patients,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Dr Phoon Nguyen said the location was important, describing the accessibility and connection to Palmerston\u2019s existing services as a \u201cmatch made in heaven\u201d.<\/p>\n
The clinic has officially opened, with its first patients booked to begin treatment next month.<\/p>\n
Patients will need to be either referred through a case manager or an organisation they are already connected with.<\/p>\n
Patients will not be charged for treatment, with dental materials and other costs being covered through donations, Uniting Smiles funding and grants.<\/p>\n
The clinic is initially expected to operate on weekdays for about two days a week, depending on patient bookings and the availability of volunteers.<\/p>\n
Dr Phoon Nguyen said the charity hoped to eventually open the clinic every day as more dental professionals volunteered.<\/p>\n
![\"Uniting](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/fd910d646a84c58fa2c9ad1c5725eb1dbe11beae.jpg\")
Camera IconUniting smiles chair and dentist Sean Archibald, Palmerston CEO Emma Jarvis, and Health Minister Meredith Hammat. Credit: David Broadway<\/p>\n
The service is currently calling out for dentists, dental professionals and dental assistants willing to volunteer.<\/p>\n
Dr Phoon Nguyen said while regular volunteers would help provide continuity of care, the charity was willing to be flexible with the commitment required.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can definitely be flexible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven things like spreading the word or if you can\u2019t volunteer now, you know, letting your colleague know things like that, it all helps as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
The clinic will initially focus on emergency dental treatment, helping patients who have been waiting for care and getting people out of pain.<\/p>\n
The long-term goal is to eventually provide more preventative and ongoing dental treatment for patients.<\/p>\n
A fixed located clinic will enable patients to return for multiple appointments, rather than relying solely on one-off emergency treatment.<\/p>\n
Dr Phoon Nguyen said dental care could be difficult to access even for people who hold a Medicare card, and the clinic was intended to remove the financial barrier created from needing to pay for gaps.<\/p>\n
The clinic will primarily cater for adults, but Dr Phoon Nguyen said children could be considered on a case-by-case basis as existing paediatric dental services are available.<\/p>\n
She said previous barriers included uncertainty around insurance, equipment, supplies and who would assist volunteer dentists.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe charity clinic aims to remove all of those barriers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n