DENTAL CARE IN RWANDA
We work to improve the health, education, and well-being of underprivileged children in Rwanda through preventive dental care. Local partnerships and national health plans are also central to our efforts.
In Rwanda, there is a shortage of dentists – approximately 60 dentists serve a population of 12.6 million people. Additionally, there are poor oral hygiene habits, high sugar consumption, and limited awareness of the importance of dental health among the population. As a result, many children suffer from toothaches, leading to poor well-being, high school absenteeism, and a bleak future.
At Dental Health Without Borders, we are dedicated to improving these conditions and providing better dental health for children in Rwanda by promoting preventive dental care in the country. We achieve this by establishing toothbrushing programs and educational activities at our project schools. Students, teachers, and parents are educated about the importance of dental health, and brushing teeth and handwashing are part of the daily school schedule.
Through our interventions, we contribute simple and effective methods to make a positive difference: after just three years of implementing our programs at project schools in Rwanda, there has been an 85 percent reduction in children experiencing toothaches. Our research also shows that improved dental health leads to better learning and well-being for the children, thus helping them towards a better life.
The project is partially funded by Danida funds through CISU – Civil Society in Development – and implemented in collaboration with SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda.
As part of our long-term development work, we send volunteer dental professionals from Denmark every year. They go to Rwanda to assist some of the many children in need of urgent dental treatment. Additionally, we collaborate with the dental school in Rwanda, where students undergo internships at project schools to support the preventive educational work and treat acute pain.
We establish toothbrushing and handwashing programs at project schools in cooperation with teachers, healthcare personnel, and parents, so that local forces can continue and disseminate knowledge about dental health in the country after the project’s completion. In Rwanda, we facilitate and advise a national health committee that engages with the Rwandan authorities in developing a national dental health strategy.
7,200
children does not have tooth ache anymore*
5,040
children does not have cavities in teeth anymore*
7,500
children does not have gingivitis anymore*
*from 2015 to 2018