“My teeth were beyond repair, the dentist told me”
When the mobile dental van from Doctors of the World visits the homeless shelter where Michel lives, it becomes clear that his teeth are in very poor condition. Since he cannot afford treatment, the organization helps him to get dentures.
No support network
“Life can suddenly take everything away from you. That was the hard lesson I learned when I lost both my wife and my father in a short period of time. That was just too much to lose. I got my things together, shut the door behind me and went traveling.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic puts an end to his travels, Michel returns penniless to the Netherlands. After living abroad for thirty years, he has no home or support network here and no option but the homeless shelter. Even though he finds work delivering mail, he doesn’t earn enough to make a new start.
Entrepreneurial spirit
With his entrepreneurial spirit, Michel soon starts trying to help fellow shelter residents, who often suffer from addiction or mental health problems. When one evening he sees a news item on Doctors of the World’s mobile dental care van, he gets in touch. He arranges for the van to come to the Salvation Army in his hometown.
Michel: “On the day when the van visited, I took a seat in the dentist’s chair myself too. Unfortunately, my teeth turned out to be in a worse state than I thought: all my roots had infections. My teeth were beyond repair, the dentist told me: I had to get dentures.” As Michel was not able to pay the costs, Doctors of the World contributed to his treatment.
Basic insured package
Michel is one of the many people who can’t afford annual dental checkups and consequently don’t go to the dentist. In September 2025, the Dutch House of Representatives passed a motion to include this checkup in the basic insured package, a measure that Doctors of the World has long been advocating (article in Dutch). Doctors of the World believes it’s important that the government funds this using tax income, so that it doesn’t lead to higher insurance premiums