The ‘Dost’ project is Smile Health’s wellbeing, befriending, and signposting portal for the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities.

The word ‘dost’ in Hindi means friend, and that is what our project is set up to do – offer friendly support.

Our Aim:

To help reduce the health and wellbeing inequalities that have exacerbated the impact of Covid-19 on the BAME community. We at Smile Health do not subscribe to the view that Covid created any of the health inequalities we see. Instead, we recognise that inequalities have long become part of our society and that we must take concrete steps to address and eradicate them.

How it works:

There are three ways to contact us:

Telephone: Our BAME helpline number is 01482 215929 (option 2). Any calls made to this number will be answered by our BAME Wellbeing Coordinator (or an appointed Smile volunteer). Lines are open Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm.

Email: dost@heysmilefoundation.org – if you would like to self-refer to this service or make a referral for someone else, you can email us with a name and contact details. Please include a phone number if you would like a call back. If you are making a referral on behalf of someone, please ensure you have their consent to share their contact details.

Referral form: if you would like to self-refer to this service or make a referral for someone else, you can fill out this form. If you are making a referral on behalf of someone, please ensure you have their consent to share their contact details. This referral form is also available via the QR code below. Simply scan the code with your smartphone camera.

For any queries, please email us at dost@heysmilefoundation.org or ring 01482 215929 (option 2). Lines are open Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm.