Dental Aid Abroad

The NZDA supports a number of regular overseas dental aid programmes in countries such as Nepal, Fiji, Cambodia, and many other regions. With the help of volunteer dental professionals and donations, these programmes help to provide much needed dental care to people who do not have access to basic dental resources.

NZDA provides support for NZDA members who take part in, or organize, voluntary oral health services in overseas arenas. The total annual funding made available is NZ$20,000 per annum over a three year period.

Members of the NZDA who are involved in voluntary overseas dental aid projects are invited to apply for funding to support your projects.

International Aid Application Form

International Aid Report

Report of Project Committee investigating Dental Aid. Prepared by Craig Waterhouse, Jonathan Broadbent and Mark Goodhew.

This report endeavours to provide a guide to summaraze the information which NZDA Dental Aid Project funding applications should include, together with an outline summarizing how such applications may be rated.

Wrigley Company Foundation NZDA 'Pacific Region Dental Aid Grant 2013-2015'

As part of the Overseas Aid Grants programme introduced in 2011, the New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) has partnered with The Wrigley Company Foundation to provide a Pacific Region grant category to the value of USD$5,000 for the next three years.

The Pacific Region Dental Aid Grant seeks to promote access to oral health education in the Pacific Islands, where the very high population-to-dentist ratio has created a virtually limitless need for dental aid. For the purpose of this programme, the Pacific Islands are defined as comprising New Guinea, New Caledonia, Torres Strait Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Micronesia and Polynesia (the Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, the Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands, Wallis and Futuna, Tokelau, Nieu, French Polynesia and Easter Island).

Applications for 2013 Grants will open on 1 July 2013.

Dental Aid Volunteers Required

Marine Reach - Ship Outreaches - Pacific Islands

Dentists, Dental Assistants and Hygienists needed

Come for an adventure with us on board our new ship! We go to the remote islands in the Pacific ( Fiji, Vanuatu and Philippines), where there is a desperate need for medical care. You fly out to the location and join us on the ship. You will enjoy the accommodation on board.

We have a number of 2 week outreaches every year, dentistry is always a key focus.

This year there is still an opportunity to join us in our land-based October Vanuatu trip. We are busy preparing the ship for 2014, watch out for our NZ ship tour visiting a port near you!

Please have a look on our website for all the details www.marinereach.com. For further information please contact medical@marinereach.com

Marine Reach - Fiji 2013

Marine Reach Fiji is looking for two dentists and/or dental assistance for each of their outreaches in remote Fijian villages in 2013.

Dates are 23 February - 8 March, 10-23 August and 19 October - 1 November. The dentistry involved would mainly be extractions and fillings.

Please contact Judith Anderson, Medical Co-ordinator judith@marinereach.com for further information.

Dentists for Vanuatu - 2013

There is a real need for dentists throughout Vanuatu. Part of the problem lies with a shortage of dentists with the small number mainly based at the capital Port Vila and the other main hospital in Santo. Add to this the difficulties of access to remote island and inland communities. There appears to be some dental equipment available at some remote clinics in the outer islands. These have been donated by various organisations in the past but our experience is that the lack of necessary skills required to properly install, maintain and operate the equipment means the majority of equipment is not functioning. Plus there are no dentists. There is at least 1 portable dental kit currently in operation at one of the main hospitals on the island of Espiritu Santo. The Trust is currently making arrangements for the use of this kit by prospective dental volunteers next year. We are also trying to locate the other 2 portable kits. The Trust also prioritises the preventative aspects of dentistry and for this reason will include as part of an ongoing programme, workshops in dental hygiene at local schools. In addition the Trust is discussing with the Vanuatu Ministry of Health the longer term solution of training more students to be dental therapists.

For the moment, Butterfly Trust is seeking dentists from NZ who are keen to volunteer their time (2-3 weeks or more) and expertise (extractions and fillings mainly plus dental hygiene education) to assist communities in the outer islands of Vanuatu. The dates are from June - October 2013. We are looking for volunteers who can cover the cost of travel and accommodation as unfortunately, our resources cannot cover these costs at present. However, we are working with the local communities at each village to offer special community accommodation for all volunteers. ni-Vanuatu warmth and hospitality is a wonderful experience.

For further information please contact Dave on 021 981553 or Lynn on 021 1085828 or email david.lynn@butterflytrust.org or visit butterflytrust.org

Dental Volunteers for Israel

Opportunities for Dentists to work as volunteers for 2 - 4 weeks in a modern clinic in Jerusalem providing free dental care for underprivileged children, regardless of race or religion. Travel costs are not covered but free apartments are available for volunteers.

Please contact Dr Ross Ferguson ryferg@clear.net.nz for further information.

Dentistry In Ladakh - Himalayan Region of North India

Dentist and hygienist volunteers wanted for 1-2 week periods or more to work in the remote Himalayan Region of Ladakh providing basic dental care to the local children and communities in Leh and the surrounding villages. Dental instruments / supplies, transport, accommodation, food and sightseeing included. You can even visit the highest motorable road in the world.

In addition,in 2012 we will complete the construction of a world class dental clinic in Leh, Ladakh where we can very productively host small teams of dentists and oral health care providers. The link we have with the New Zealand based dental community is a primary source of our confidence that the dental project in this remote region of the India Himalayas will continue to flourish.

Futher information on the new dental clinic construction at the following link: http://theroyakitejrfoundation.org/the-rak-clinic/

Please visit our Himalayan Dental Project website: www.himalayan-dentistry.com or email your enquires to: Bill Kite on kitemandu@gmail.com , David Marriott marriottdental@hotmail.com or Viv Levy on coxst@cyberxpress.co.nz

Auckland Dental Association/Newton Wickham Trust

The ADANWT DAA acts as an umbrella organisation with dental aid abroad. We undertake to do the following:

Collect, audit and store unwanted dental supplies from individuals and companies which are surplus to requirements.
Re-distribute these goods from our small facility in East Auckland to dentists and dental staff who undertake voluntary dental projects overseas. Dentists are invited to come and identify supplies they may take with them.
Act as a co-ordinator for information and destinations for dental aid abroad expeditions.
We have a small range of specialised dental equipment that can be lent out for short-term overseas dental projects.
We are in the process of organising an on-going voluntary project at an overseas destination in the pacific, funded partly by ADANWT and staffed by a rotating group of voluntary dentists on a yearly basis.
Please contact us through the Auckland Dental Association: email admin@ada.co.nz or Dr Jonathan Cole: email jcole@xtra.co.nz or phone 09 527 6322