A reason to smile

13.10.2009- Many people in developing countries have never had the privilege of seeing a dentist. Simply because dental help is almost non-existent in much of West Africa; or, where it is dispensed, it is sadly unaffordable for the majority of the population.

The most common oral diseases in West Africa are dental cavities and periodontal (gum) disease. Thousands of people suffer from dental pain for weeks or months on end, sometimes even years, because of the lack of available dental care. 

Mercy Ships is responding to the needs of the Republic of Benin by undertaking a ten-month deployment to Cotonou from February through November 2009. The Benin Smiles project addresses dental needs and provides preventative and restorative treatment for men, women, and children who would otherwise not receive dental care. The project’s plan is to offer critical dental care for approx. 11,500 individuals, providing more than 19,000 dental treatments throughout the ten-month period.  

The Africa Mercy transports all the equipment necessary to run an off-ship dental clinic in the visited country, including portable chairs, dental units, autoclaves, compressors, and generators needed to support the mobile clinic. Since this year, the dental program was expanded from 5 chairs to a total of 9, thanks to a generous grant from a foundation. The additional chairs have made it possible for the program to boost production objectives from a total of 6,600 clients in 2008 to 11,500 in 2009 while utilizing the same number of dentists! 

Daily triage prioritizes individuals exhibiting signs of urgent dental needs. The remainder of the daily schedule is filled on a first-come, first-served basis. A reserve/waiting list is created each day; these people are added as the schedule permits. If they cannot be accommodated on the same day, they are given a confirmed appointment for another time.

The dentist and dental coordinator instruct the local dental assistant trainees in universal precautions, sterile technique, and theory. Trainees work alongside other assistants and dentists to gain clinical experience. The dental clinic staff is also teaching basic dental hygiene to groups of waiting clients.

Last spring, a man named Moussafa came to the clinic with an infection that had started in his tooth.  However, over time the infection spread, travelling deep into the bone, eventually breaking his jaw into two pieces! Mercy Ships dentist, Dr. Tvedt, performed surgery at the clinic under local anaesthetic, and Moussafa’s jaw was healed.