University of Birmingham dental students to visit India to provide care in poverty-stricken communities
A team of dental students from the University of Birmingham is preparing to travel to India to provide dental treatment to adults and children living in poverty-stricken communities in the north of the country.
A group of ten students, led by Drs Upen and Ketan Patel, will be visiting Rishikesh and the Himalayan region as part of a project organised by the charity Satya Samaj UK. The students will be part of a team of volunteers providing dental and medical care.
The volunteers will be hosting a 5-day health and dental camp, which will provide dental care, in addition to diabetes and asthma treatment to more than 500 people. The team will be joining forces with local doctors and dentists to see as many patients as possible.
Clinical lecturer at the university, Dr Upen Patel, said that that it was “unacceptable” that some people in the world don’t have access to even the most basic means of keeping their teeth clean and their gums healthy.
Students from the dental school are looking forward to using their skills and their knowledge to benefit people living in communities where dental services are simply not accessible. During the health camp, the group will be offering basic dental services, including routine checks, and handing out dental supplies. They will also be providing demonstrations to show adults and children how to brush their teeth.
Fourth-year student, Louise Davis, described the trip as “a really amazing opportunity” to see India and to help large groups of people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to receive dental treatment.
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