Junior Dentists Swap South Wales for Himalayas on Charity Trip
A pair of junior dentists has swapped South Wales for the Himalayas as part of a charity programme to help people living in remote communities.
Sarah Pick and Aoife Swain spent 10 years in the North of India as part of a programme designed to reach out to people living in rural communities that are not usually served by dental professionals. During their stay, Sarah, Aoife and the rest of the volunteers were based at five different clinics.
As well as providing basic dental care, the team also took time to provide training for the Amchi Buddhist nuns who take on much of the responsibility of providing medical and dental care. Currently, there are only four dentists serving an area the size of the UK and as a result, the vast majority of people have never seen a dentist before. The training will enable the nuns to carry out some basic treatments and reach out to more people.
The project was organised by the University of Manipal in conjunction with the Association of Dental Education and the European Dental Students Association. Sarah and Aoife were joined by three other UK dentists and the rest of the volunteers were from other European countries. In total, there were 20 dentists working on the programme.
The team provided dental care, including cleaning treatments, general checks, fissure sealant treatments and fillings, for around 800 people during their stay. The foundation stage dentists raised money for the trip themselves, which was spent on supplies and equipment.
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