Dental Outreach in Ghana

In July 2007, a Work the World team of dentists and elective students pioneered our dental outreach project and spent three weeks providing free dental care to rural village communities in the Eastern Region of Ghana. We built on the success of this programme in July 2008 and to date we have screened 11,000 people and provided free dental care to over 1,600 patients.

Run as a partnership between Work the World and the University of Ghana Dental School (UGDS), this project is about bringing dental care to village communities who otherwise have no access to a dentist. The project is ideal for elective students or recently qualified dentists wanting to gain substantial experience of clinical procedures, especially extractions and restorations, in challenging conditions.

You will join a group of 5 - 12 Work the World elective students, who will be under the supervision of a senior dentist and technicians from UGDS. Each day the group divides into two teams, one to conduct screening programmes in rural villages and schools and one to provide clinical treatments at the project base. The screening team uses a 4-wheel-drive vehicle to visit different villages and schools each day, and if treatment is required, free transportation is provided to the project base. The clinical team has the use of a well-equipped Mobile Dental Clinic as well as temporary treatment rooms at a local hospital.

Accommodation & Food

Accommodation for the project team is provided in a local guesthouse, which vetted by or local staff. Conditions in semi-rural Ghana are relatively basic, but you will have a secure room with running water and electricity (albeit somewhat intermittent!). Three hearty meals a day are included in our package and are provided at a local restaurant, giving you plenty of chance to experience traditional Ghanaian food.

The work is from Monday to Friday and so the weekends are free to relax or travel to see some more of the country. Popular options are to head to the coast and soak up some sun and experience the high life bands at the beaches in Kokrobite, or go a little further west and visit the old forts and the stunning rain forest reserve around Cape Coast. Our staff will of course be able to give you lots of help and advice on travelling in Ghana.

Dates

The next Ghana Dental Outreach Project is running on 29th June – 19th July 2009. Please note that places for this project are limited and fill up early.

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