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Improve Children's Dental Health

by Deborah Mitchell and Beth Hering
The Challenge

Children's dental health plays a critical role in their overall well-being, yet adequate dental care for children is woefully lacking in many parts of the world. In fact, 90 percent of the cavities in children in third world countries go untreated, an unfortunate fact that sets the stage for future, more serious dental problems. Untreated cavities, misaligned teeth, abscesses, gum disease, and other dental problems can directly impact children's ability to eat and/or properly digest their food and assimilate nutrients. These limitations then can impact their growth and development, their immune system, and their overall chance of survival.

Despite the good intentions of many third world countries to address the issue of children's dental health, the fact is that they simply lack the money and trained manpower. Therefore, it is often left to volunteers – dentists, dental hygienists and assistants, dental students, as well as concerned lay individuals – to help make sure these children not only receive adequate dental care, but also learn how to care for their teeth themselves.

The simple act of eating – something we all need to do every day – should not have to be painful. A child should not have to suffer from an easy-to-fill cavity left to rot, nor should he be set up for a lifetime of dental problems just because nobody has given him the equipment and knowledge to brush his teeth. Please consider offering your service to dental clinics abroad that work to improve children’s dental health. You can bring smiles to the faces of children by helping them to bite and chew without discomfort, but don’t be surprised if the biggest smile is your own after seeing how your efforts make a difference.

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You do not have to be a dentist or other dental health professional to provide essential dental care for children, although such individuals are in great demand. Here are some volunteer vacation opportunities for you to consider:

  • The American Dental Association offers the International Dental Volunteer Organizations website that lists opportunities for dentists and other dental professionals to offer their expertise for as little as one to two weeks anywhere around the world. Its search engine allows interested parties to scan the more than 100 opportunities by region, organization, and religious affiliation. The site also provides practical information on safety, packing, and what to expect during service.
  • Work the World operates a dental outreach internship program in rural Nepal. It is designed for dental students to gain valuable hands-on experience and runs at times that coincide with summer vacations. The program touts extensive support from Work the World staff both before and during travel, local accommodation with other outreach students, and taking care of arrangements such as transportation, transfers, and meals. The organization also runs other internship opportunities for students and dentists throughout the year in places such as Argentina, Ghana, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania with a similar emphasis on taking the hassle out of making arrangements.
  • The Afghanistan Dental Relief Project is in dire need of dental professionals year-round. Afghanistan has only one dentist per 250,000 residents and no accessible care in rural areas. This dental care organization also seeks help from dental suppliers and equipment manufacturers, teachers, construction workers, fund-raisers, and anyone with eager and willing hands. There’s a nominal fee for room and board, and security is provided.
  • The Christian Dental Society works with churches, volunteer agencies, and service organizations to provide volunteers, equipment, and supplies to needy areas. Volunteer opportunities span many countries, including Belarus, China, Haiti, Jamaica, Nigeria, Philippines, Romania, Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Vietnam. Programs run from one to three weeks, and all dental professionals are needed. The organization’s web site provides an easy-to-read list of upcoming missions that includes prices and contact information.
  • In addition to dental professionals needed to work on teeth, International Smile Power seeks lay people to teach oral hygiene during missions to Bolivia, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, and Uganda. Missions often include side trips so that visitors can explore the country.

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