Meet the Leeds dentist giving back to community after turning his phobia into a 50 year career
A Leeds dentist is celebrating 50 years in the industry by giving back to the local community and third-world countries.
Graham Temple, 72, from Hunslet, is preparing for his eighth trip abroad as he continues to give back after 50 years as a working dentist.
Having previously spent time providing voluntary dental aid at Syrian refugee camps Lebanon and in Turkey following the devastating earthquake of 2023, Graham is now heading for Peru where he’ll be visiting remote villages near the city of Cusco.
Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Graham described the work as both an adventure but also an incredible opportunity to help those in need.
“The volunteer work is half and half,” he said. “I started off as an adventure but going to places like Turkey, a few weeks after the massive earthquake on the Syrian border, is life changing. It’s a mixed blessing - you’re doing a lot of good but also getting a tremendous amount out of it.”
“To celebrate 50 years, I’m teaming up with Dental Peru and we’re going to work in schools and orphanages in the outer region. My wife is coming with me too, and will be acting as a makeshift dental nurse as the mission isn’t quite full.”
Suffering from a severe fear of the dentist as a child, Graham admitted to struggling with his teeth growing up and likened his first experiences with the dentist as looking you’d just been 10 rounds with Mike Tyson.
This view totally changed, however after visiting the dentist while in secondary school.
Graham was forced to overcome his fear after developing an abscess in one of his teeth, while studying for his A Levels.
“I didn’t go to the dentist for years, I was just totally phobic but then I got a massive abscess while doing my A Levels and the bloke was really good,” he said.
“He totally changed my idea of the dentist and I applied to do dentistry on the stroke of that and I was lucky enough to get in.”
Closer to home, Graham has also made a significant difference by providing domiciliary dental care to the elderly population of Leeds.
He has personally visited patients in their own homes and care homes, ensuring that those who are unable to travel, can still receive the dental care they need.
As he prepares to celebrate his 73rd birthday later this month, Graham is determined to keep going for as long as possible, inspired by the reaction he receives while volunteering abroad.
“We went to Morocco last year and some people had walked 10 miles to get to this school, had two or three teeth out, walked home and then were back the next day because they had so much needed doing,” Graham said.
“It’s incredible what they put up with and if that doesn’t tell you how much your needed. Over here you have one tooth out and you might have the rest of the day off - I really can’t explain how much you get out of it.”