20 Brighton & Hove Independent Friday 21 June, 2013 www.brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk
Helping the homeless to smile again A local cosmetic dentist, Dr Mehdi Pourani, decided to take the issue of homelessness into his own hands to prove change was possible. DR POURANI, founder of Clinic Nine, a cosmetic poly clinic in Hove, began the experiment by approaching Emmaus in Portslade, a sheltered housing project for homeless people. “I’ve always believed in a hand-up rather than a hand-out,” said Dr Pourani. “As soon as I met Matt there was something about him that captured me. I really wanted to do something for him, and I believed in him.” It was also a way for Dr Pourani to encourage other local professionals to help with the problem and put the 5-10% free time most businesses have to good use. The homeless charity Emmaus introduced Dr Pourani to 27 year old Matt Blenkinsop, who had lost his home as the result of a previous drink and drug habit. “He wasn’t confident enough to smile or look anyone in the eye,” recalls Dr Pourani. “And his teeth were in a really bad way.” Matt, a qualified chef, was initially suspicious. Matt recollects his initial thoughts: “I thought why would someone want to help me in that way? I haven’t exactly deserved this chance after what I’ve done in the past.” Dr Pourani said: “At first we just hung out, it helped that we both supported Arsenal.”
Before
After
There were three key aspects of Matt’s life that Dr Pourani wanted to focus on changing; health, physical looks and to encourage a mental belief in himself. “It was really difficult at first,” says Dr Pourani. “Matt was unreliable, and I must have spent 9 months, 50-60 hours just talking to him and trying to get him motivated.” Step one of the transformation involved repairing Matt’s badly damaged teeth. This involved treating gum infections before fitting Matt with cosmetic veneers, crowns,
bridges and finally whitening. Matt then underwent a face skin peel to treat his skin and was treated by an orthopaedic consultant for a recurring trouble with his knee following an accident earlier in life. This was followed up with physiotherapy to treat the problem. To further improve Matt’s physical looks, Dr Pourani took Matt to a hair stylist and fitted him with a whole new wardrobe. After further consultation and motivation, Dr Pourani could see a real change in Matt’s attitude: “He became more confident and
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more reliable. He finally started to believe in himself a bit more. With further help, Matt managed to get his own House in Lewes. This meant he was now closer to his daughter and got back in touch with his brother and sister and started to form a family that he couldn’t before. I still remain good friends with Matt, I feel like a godfather to him. He has a full-time job, a house, a serious girlfriend, I couldn’t be happier with the way his life has changed. “It’s been a great learning curve for me too, which I find hard to describe. It’s been fascinating to have been part of Matt’s level of development and the transformation I’ve seen is incredible.” Matt described how he feels after his journey: “Having my own place has given me such a level of independence. It’s been a long time coming to get to where I am now. I have a sense of achievement and I can finally move on and achieve bigger and better things. “I am so grateful of everything Mehdi has done for me and I hope to make him proud with everything I do in the future.” To view the journey and transformation of Matt in full please visit the following link: www.clinicnine.com/index.php/about-us/ clinic-nine-videos
This entitles you to the following twice a year (every 6 months): Free oral cancer screening Full dental examination Scale and polish Intra oral x-rays Free emergency appointments (excluding treatment) 10% off any dental treatment 10% off Botox and Fillers
To sign up to our Smile Plan please either call or email us
01273 726 560 info@clinicnine.com Smile Plan offer is based on a 12 month subscription
Clinic Nine: 212 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 2DJ