Yeovil Dentists Planning Return Trip to Africa
A group of dentists from Yeovil is planning to return to Africa next year, following the success of a trip in August.
Nurses and dentists joined Dr Mark Brickley, principal orthodontist at Resolution Specialist Treatment Centre, in his visit to Zambia in August, which provided people living in poor communities with treatment and oral health education.
Dr Brickley paid for his own trip, while the nurses fundraised to pay for their travel tickets. Orthodontic therapist, Kirsty Gibbs, even sold her motorbike to pay for the mission.
Three months on and Dr Brickley is planning to return to Zambia next year to build on the success of their trip over the summer and the team has already started raising money to pay for equipment to take to the Mpongwe District Hospital.
The hospital serves around 15,000 people, but most of those living in rural areas have never seen a dentist. The aim of the mission, which was organised by Friends of MBA Zambia and St Cleers Chapel in Somerton, was to help provide dental care for local people, improve training and help out in the hospital.
Dr Brickley said that many people were living in villages without running water or electricity and most do not have access to even the most basic dental care. He described the work the team carried out, which included visiting the hospital, cleaning it thoroughly and enforcing infection control protocol. The group also visited a number of villages and provided people with toothbrushes and toothpaste and also took the time to show adults and children how to brush their teeth.
Dr Brickley trained a local hygienist and the team will return next year to train a dental nurse.
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