The local Ghana Team conducted a three-day outreach in June, providing care to hundreds of people in need.
The Zebila Bawku West District is found in the Kingdom of Dagbon in the upper east region of Ghana. The whole upper east region only has one dentist, one physician assistant and three dental assistants, so the need for a dental outreach in the area was great.
Dr. Esther Mark was accompanied by Dr. Sebastein Mensah and a few Assistants from the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation/Smiles for Everyone Foundation. For this outreach, they partnered with Haven of Love Children Foundation, who helped host the clinic and provide assistance to the dentists.
Day 1: Binaba Community Dental Outreach Program
The first outreach was held on July 21 at the Zebanco Royal Lodge in Binaba. Many community members arrived throughout the day for dental care, so our Team decided to pre-screen everyone and choose the patients based on who needed the most care.
Roughly 300 people were screened, and the Team identified 140 cases of extractions and cleanings that they were able to provide. Everyone who was treated also went home with a toothbrush.
Day 2: Teshie Dental Outreach Program
The second day of outreach was held in the auditorium of the Assembly of God Church in Teshie. Hundreds of villagers arrived throughout the day when they heard about the clinic. Joy News also found out about the outreach and came to do an interview and story of our Team’s work.
250 villagers were screened and the Team provided 170 cleanings and extractions.
Day 3: Sapeliga Dental Outreach Program
The last day of outreach was held in Sapeliga, where many patients walked from near and far to see our Team. Most of the patients who came to the clinic were suffering from toothache or abscess due to a lifetime of neglect. 150 patients were screened and 70 received cleanings and extractions.
The community leaders from the areas that our Team visited were all very welcoming and thankful for the work being done for their residents. The Team found that 95% of the community needed cleanings, and about 50% of them had cavities. They also noticed that most of the children in the communities had poor oral hygiene, all which could easily be prevented. The Team hopes to come back and conduct more outreaches in the future, but also hopes that these communities will be provided with a dental clinic that their residents can easily access.
Thank you to the local Ghana Team for delivering so many Smiles this summer!