Plymouth dental team visits Kenya
A group from The Plymouth Dental Centre of Excellence and Devon Dental Centre of Excellence has visited Kenya to provide basic dental care for around 800 people.
The group of ten visited Kisimu, which is located on the shores of Lake Victoria as part of a mission organised by the Smilestar Charity, which was established by Dr Mitesh Badiani, lead clinician at the Plymouth centre.
The charity organises a host of projects to provide health and dental care to people in Kenya, Uganda and India.
The aim of the trip to Kisimu was to provide much-needed dental care to people living in rural communities in the area; many of the 800 people treated had never seen a dentist before and awareness of oral health and oral hygiene are very poor.
Dr Badiani said that the visit was very tiring and difficult, but also highly rewarding. Many of the patients were in poor health, a high proportion had HIV and most had not received any medical or dental treatment for a long period of time.
Dr Badiani said that the community had already written to the charity asking them to return again and there are plans to establish a clinic in Kisimu, which Dr Badiani described as “very exciting.” The charity also provides funding for dental care for medially-discharged Royal Marines.
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