Building bridges
Bridge2Aid is a UK registered charity that runs dental and community development programmes in North-West Tanzania. Over the past three years the organization has hosted more than 100 volunteers in Tanzania who have helped it to achieve its goals of equipping and training local health personnel and providing primary dental healthcare and education. Dental Learning Hub asked Dr Julie Williams, a UK dentist who recently volunteered in Tanzania with Bridge2Aid, about her experiences.
Dental Learning Hub: What were the main motivations for you to be a volunteer?
Julie Williams: I had always wanted to offer my dental skills as a volunteer but had previously been concerned re the sustainability of some of the schemes on offer. As a partner in general dental practice I was also limited with the amount of available time for the volunteering opportunity and when I heard about Bridge2Aid I felt this would be the ideal way of doing something truly beneficial in a short period of time
Dental Learning Hub: Briefly describe the details of your volunteering experience: where was it, for how long, what did the daily work entail?
Julie Williams: I have been a volunteer on three occasions for Bridge2Aid in Tanzania – twice as a dental volunteer providing clinical training in emergency dentistry for rural clinical officers and once in Bukumbi working on the reconstruction of living accommodation for a group of disabled gentlemen with leprosy.
The two experiences were very different yet equally rewarding. The former involves taking the necessary instruments and personnel to establish a basic dental centre within a clinic or hospital. Rural clinical officers are taught on a one-to-one basis how to diagnose, examine and safely treat dental emergencies under local anaesthesia. The training includes taking of medical histories, careful control of cross infection, sterilisation and oral hygiene instruction.
Teaching so much in a few days is challenging yet the rural clinical officers are keen to learn and the whole team enjoys seeing their progress during our stay. Sadly the local diet is now supplemented with carbonated sugared drinks, sweets and biscuits with no accompanying oral health knowledge and many suffer long term pain with tooth decay. In addition to treating the emergency, the clinical officers are encouraged to explain why these dental problems have arisen and how the patients can help to prevent such problems in the future.
Bukumbi is a community for those who cannot live elsewhere due to disability or other family issues. The fabric of the residential accommodation is badly in need of repair and this is an ongoing project in addition to helping the residents to help themselves. Bridge2Aid has been working on providing a piped water system for the village and gradually improving the facilities on site. During the renovation we scrubbed off 30 years of deposits from the walls, repainted the rooms, scrubbed the beds and fitted beds with linens and mosquito nets provided by another charity. The residents were so delighted they just sat on their clean beds and cried with appreciation. During the 2 weeks we were also involved in an after school education and play scheme which provided craft and sport activities for 150 children every day. Giving children who have so many responsibilities time to have fun with their friends was a real privilege and even 14 or 15 year olds really enjoyed colouring or learning new songs.
Dental Learning Hub: What are the impressions you took away with you from the experience?
Julie Williams: How fortunate we are to have so much in the UK- electricity, running water, hot water on tap, a choice of food, ability to receive an education in many different fields, dental and medical care in established well equipped centres - the list is endless. Without sounding too stereotypical it was also fantastic to spend time in a place where you have time to watch a sunrise or chat to new found friends over a beer in the evening with less pressure or interruption.
Dental Learning Hub: Would you recommend this to fellow dentists?
Julie Williams: Yes without hesitation- the only problem is the trips are so good you want to book again as soon as you are back in the UK and all your nurses end up wanting to come with you. Four staff members from our practice are booked to go again in November which means you have to have great support from those still running the practice in your absence.
Dental Learning Hub: Do you have any tips for dentists volunteering on similar projects for the first time?
Julie Williams: Ensure you are well prepared with the right medication and vaccinations – be flexible on what there is to eat and keep hydrated. Don’t worry that you can’t always do all the dentistry – there will be others to help you who may have different skills and you’ll be able to help them on other occasions. Listen to the advice from the Bridge2Aid team on learning some of the language and being appropriately dressed as this will allow you greater access to the local community and will make your trip an even better experience. Lastly the friendships that are made on these trips are really special.