DIY dentistry kit in a Denka sterile pouch, containing dental paste, swab and a cocktail stick, used by Richard Sandell during the first national lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020

With dentists shut for routine appointments during the COVID-19 lockdown, Richard tried at home dentistry for some temporary relief. He had lost a chunk of tooth and filling and was keen to find a short-term solution to avoid infection or further damage to his tooth. After some advice from their dental practice, Richard’s husband used the kit to give Richard a temporary filling. A sun lounger in the garden became their dentist chair. Their most successful attempt at a filling lasted just over two weeks.

Dentists stopped routine treatment during the first COVID-19 lockdown, announced by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson on 23 March 2020, to help limit the spread of coronavirus. However, patients did not stop needing the dentist and at home dentistry was one of the things that many people considered doing for the first time during lockdown.