March 20 is World Oral Health Day – an international day of action that focuses on the importance of oral health. While regular visits to the dentist are a matter of course in Germany, the reality in rural areas of Kenya is very different: toothache is often endured for months because there are hardly any dentists and treatment remains unaffordable for many. This is precisely where the joint project between Dentists for Africa (DfA) and the Moi University School of Dentistry (MUSoD) comes in. Thanks to funding from the Apobank Foundation, it provides dental treatment for people in need while offering students valuable practical experience. The project culminates in two days of free treatment on World Oral Health Day.
“Many people in Kenya have never received dental treatment in their entire lives. Our mobile missions are often their first and only chance to get help,” says Dr. Lilian Apadet, project manager at Moi University, describing the importance of these missions. Under the guidance of experienced dentists, MUSoD students treat patients directly in their communities during five missions or as part of Oral Health Day on the faculty’s premises. They perform extractions, treat tooth decay, and educate patients about oral hygiene.
“These assignments are an indispensable part of practical training,” says Dr. Apadet, emphasizing the immense importance of the assignments for the training of dental students. “Students not only learn about medical treatment, but also how to deal with patients in real-life situations – an experience that cannot be conveyed in clinical teaching alone.”
Long-standing partnership with Moi University
DfA has been working closely with MUSoD since 2018. “In addition to mobile deployments, DfA has supported the university with treatment chairs, X-ray equipment, and consumables,” explains Dr. Isa Rait, who has maintained contact with Moi University on behalf of DfA for many years, developed the current project, and raised the funds. “This improves the training of students and at the same time strengthens the dental infrastructure in the region.”
For Dr. Hans-Joachim Schinkel, 1st Chairman of DfA, this is a wonderful example of how the association’s goals are being implemented together with local partners: “This project is a prime example of how sustainability can be successfully implemented by taking responsibility and embedding it in Kenyan structures.”
World Oral Health Day: Taking action together
To mark World Oral Health Day, Moi University is organizing a large-scale dental camp. Over two days, free treatment will be offered and people will be provided with information about dental health. The goal is to let more patients know about the university’s treatment options and give students some important hands-on experience. “This is a really important day for MUSoD,” says Dr. Isa Rait. “Thanks to the free services, lots of people in need come to MUSoD and the student courses. This makes sure the students get practical training.”
“World Oral Health Day impressively demonstrates how cooperation between universities and NGOs can bring about real change for local people,” says Dr. Apadet happily.
Thanks to the apoBank Foundation
The current mobile operations are made possible by funding from the AapoBank Foundation. “Thanks to the support of the apoBank Foundation, we can work together with our project partners to take preventive action and provide concrete dental treatment to people in need,” says Dr. Hans-Joachim Schinkel. We would like to express our sincere thanks for this valuable support!
Please help
In order to continue carrying out mobile missions like this, DfA relies on donations. Every contribution counts toward improving oral health in Kenya in the long term. Dentists can support us.
Together, we can strengthen dental care where it is most urgently needed.
➡️ Donate now: www.dentists-for-africa.org/donate