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The Documentary: Drugs and the Dentist

Alex Before and After Treatment

11/10/2016 GMT

Drugs and the Dentist

BBC World Service - The Documentary, Drugs and the Dentist

The dentists in the US fixing the teeth of drug addicts to help fix their lives

The dentists in the US fixing the teeth of drug addicts to help fix their lives.

Drugs like crystal meth and opiates wreck the teeth as well as the mind. In America, more than just about any country, good teeth are a sign of success and so dentists like Dr Bob Carter are helping fix addicts’ teeth. They are also bringing together other health professionals. Despite the Affordable Health Act the different social and health agencies can be very disjointed. 
 
The dentist's surgery is a safe place where a person is not found wanting for the choices they have made in life. It is a neutral arena where the only judgements being made are about their teeth and how to heal them. And it can be the first step for them to get back on course.
 
As Dr Bob Carter says "I have met many, many meth addicts. To tell you the truth I was surprised by them. They are not bad people, they are not criminals, they are just normal people who made a decision that was not good for them. Once they went down that road...well it was hard, very hard for them to get off. Some of them didn't make it. It is my job to make them better."

(Photo: Standardised patient actor Alex Jones)

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