An adrenalin junkie dentist in Chester has braved shark-infested waters to raise money at the Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire Oaks.
Richard Howarth, from Stafford, took to the water armed only with a toothbrush as he took the daring plunge to raise money for a charity that provides free dental care to those most in need.
Richard is a founder member of Dental Mavericks charity, a fantastic charity that travels to remote parts of Morocco to treat children who are suffering from dental pain.
Richard ran a half marathon last year to raise money for field dental chairs that will be used to treat disadvantaged children in the remote village of El Jebah in North East Morocco.
The money that Richard has raised for the shark dive will be used to buy a solar powered chair that will allow conventional dental care to be provided rather than just extractions and rudimentary fillings.
Dental Mavericks are also hoping to raise enough money to buy and equip a dental ambulance that will be able to reach remote, rural communities. It has long term plans to go to Senegal and treat street children there.
Richard said: “The idea for this crazy dive came from a patient of mine. I think they thought it funny that I spend my life helping patients who are anxious and fearful of me as the dentist but in the tank then the tables would be turned with the ‘dentist’ being surrounded by rows and rows of razor-sharp teeth!”