A SURGERY invited a legendary footballer to help them show off the friendly face of modern dentistry today (Friday July 5).

Former Sunderland player and FA Cup winning goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery was at the Darlington Dental Clinic as part of a family open day.

He shared his experiences with football lovers as the practice’s dentists gave free consultations and showcased the services on offer.

Business manager Denise Heron said: “We wanted to open our doors to the community and let them see what we have to offer.

“We have been showing people around the practice and letting them look at the surgery and the equipment we’ve invested in.

“We want to encourage families not to see dentists as intimidating. A lot of people are nervous but we look after our nervous patients really well and can offer sedation.

“It used to be that a dentist would take your teeth out straight away but now we do everything we can to preserve them.”

A prize draw was part of the activities on offer at the open day, with the winner getting the chance to have dinner with Jimmy Montgomery and Bobby Kerr at the Stadium of Light.