Collaboration work on access to oral health care in Ndola

Henry Schein Dental UK, International College of Dentists’ Global Visionary Fund and Grace Academy, Ndola, a boarding school for orphans who have experienced extreme poverty, malnutrition, and disease, are working together to promote oral health care across Zambia.
The team of volunteer health care professionals comprised a denturist, dentists, and auxiliary staff to attend to the oral health needs of the children, care givers, school staff, and people in the local community. The range of needs extended across scaling, dentures, restorations, endodontics, extractions, preventative care, and personalised oral hygiene instructions.
Outreach lead, Gloria Tyler, a Canada-based dentist, said: “Periodontal disease was extreme amongst those never having dental care before, even in young age. For the children of the orphanage, dental care as never been an option as survival was priority. The need was endless, the smiles so rewarding and I am grateful to have been able to contribute to this mission thanks to the generous support of the International College of Dentists’ Global Visionary Fund and Henry Schein.”
Simon Gambold, Henry Schein’s vice president marketing EMEA dental group, said: “This outreach has helped to enhance the oral health of these children while also raising awareness about the importance of oral hygiene as a necessary element for total health. The programme complements our mission to increase access to oral care, to build capacity, and to support dental professionals in the provision of desperately needed treatment and preventive care. We are therefore happy to be able to support this mission through our partnership with the International College of Dentists.”