Dr Christoph Herzog has been involved with Dentists for Africa for many years. In February 2026, he travelled once again to Nyabondo in western Kenya with his colleague Dr Eva Mirow – his fourth mission to the region.
“It’s impressive to see how the region has developed,” he reports. “Where we used to have to improvise a great deal, there are now much better facilities: The dental clinic has expanded, procedures are more organised, and there are more options for treating patients. At the same time, the challenge remains significant – many only come when the pain is unbearable. Often, the only affordable treatment left is then tooth extraction.”
On-site training – helping people to help themselves
For him, a key approach of Dentists for Africa is the training of local specialists. “Our Kenyan colleagues are the ones providing the care – we support them and learn from one another.” During the mobile outreach missions, he witnessed how the COHOs (Community Oral Health Officers) Josephine and Wycliff transformed a maternity ward into a makeshift dental clinic within minutes to treat people in remote villages free of charge. Their experience was particularly helpful in successfully carrying out treatments in more complex cases.
School visits form the basis of preventive care: “After receiving instruction in toothbrushing techniques, the children are examined class by class, and where treatment is required.
Personal encounters that leave a lasting impression
Alongside his medical work, it is above all the personal encounters that stay with him. During school visits and in the Widows’ Village, he taught the children animal names in English and Swahili through play – a simple game with animal figures brought beaming smiles and great fun, even for the youngest children. “It’s amazing how little it sometimes takes to bring great joy.”
Making ten years of progress visible
A lot has changed structurally too: new clinic buildings, paved roads, modern treatment rooms – and yet there are still challenges regarding funding and utilisation. As someone who has visited Nyabondo regularly for over ten years, Dr Herzog can compare the progress first-hand: “I have witnessed how a makeshift dental clinic has today become a professionally run centre that operates independently and is gradually providing the local population with more self-sufficient care. Observing the development over the years shows me that sustainable aid works – and makes every mission even more valuable.”
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