The BDA Conference is with us again and for those of us intending to visit there is always the dilemma of what to see and which lectures to attend. There is also the possibility of those missed presentations due to the often overwhelming choice. Most of us also consider ourselves to be generous and charitable so this year at BDA Conference there is the opportunity to gain information about some of our dental charities. There are the very well known ones, Bridge2Aid, Dentaid, Smile Train as well as less well publicised Teeth Relief/Sunnymeade Trust and others not as well known but who all strive to improve the oral health of developing countries.
The history behind this meeting in May 2011, follows the desire to limit overlap and duplication of aid that was occurring with so many of the smaller dental charities. In 2008 Dermot O'Brien a dentist from Wiltshire, who works in Burkina Faso, wrote an article suggesting that it would be beneficial if there was an organised network of UK based Non Government Organisations (NGOs) and charities whose work included oral health improvements in developing countries, as one of their objectives.
These NGOs and charities would look to implement some or all of the World Health Organisation Basic Package of Oral Care. That is: OUT - Oral Urgent Treatment, AFT – Affordable Fluoride Toothpaste and ART – Atraumatic Restorative Technique.
This idea took off with a meeting in Tanzania in February 2009 of the Commonwealth Dental Association hosted by Bridge2Aid. The Bridge2Aid Dental Volunteer Programme model was discussed in depth. Following this was a meeting at the FDI in Singapore on OUT and the role of dental volunteers and the sustainability of delivering such services. The outcome of all these discussions was to continue building a network and possible forum into sustainable volunteering.
In October 2010 Dermot O'Brien met Ian Wilson (Bridge 2 Aid) and Sharon Rankin (Teeth Relief/Sunnymeade Trust) and Jo Daly of Dental Project Peru to move the initiative forward. Which brings us to this year's BDA Conference in Manchester on Thursday, May 19. Financing this event personally are Iain Corran, trustee of Teeth Relief, Dermott O'Brien and Jo Daley as well as the BDTA, Anthony Dunnett CBE, president of International Health Partners which is currently piloting oral health travel packs which are consumable kits for dentists involved in OUT, AFT and ART.
The meeting is to be chaired by Habib Benzian who, along with Christopher Holmgren, were two of the authors of the WHO BPOC. The topic of the presentation by Christopher Holmgren is Volunteering revisited. He will be looking at the needs of the potential global community and whether the current traditional model of short term volunteering does benefit the recipient community. He will also explore the possible reorientation of volunteering. How could volunteers contribute in an effective and sustainable manner?
This is a chance to give these altruistic colleagues some real support. We have all heard of Dentaid and Bridge2aid but some of the others are less well known. It would also be valuable to learn from the expert what is still needed and how we can help. This meeting is in the lunch hour, Charter Room 7, 12.45pm to 2pm. It could be a revelation; it could be that you might find something to help put a real meaning back into oral health care. To do something for the really disadvantaged who by virtue of birth and geography cannot possibly have the benefits that are on offer in the UK. These committed colleagues need our support in many ways. You can only find out how to by attending. See you there?