We’re extremely proud Gold Unity Partners with clinical charity Bridge2Aid

Every year we support them in a number of ways, including sending our clinicians to train clinical officers in emergency dental care.

Last year, we sponsored the training of two clinical officers, Lucian and Joyce, and just before Christmas, Bridge2Aid wrote to us to update us on their progress since their training in 2015.

“Dear the team at mydentist,

As 2016 draws to a close, I just wanted to give you and the team at mydentist an update on Joyce and Lucian since they passed their training in September last year and returned to their respective clinics ready to start treating their communities, all thanks to your sponsorship.

Like all of our trained clinical officers, they have had regular follow ups with both the District Dental Officer and the Bridge2Aid team based in Mwanza.

They have been using the basic emergency dental skills they learnt on our programme on a weekly basis to ensure that their communities no longer have to suffer in silence. You may recall that they both serve very rural and poor communities, thanks to the training that you sponsored, both Joyce and Lucian have the skills to ensure that their patients don’t miss school or work and have been able to provide treatment to over 90% of people attending their clinic in pain from dental issues. In Joyces’ case, over a third of these would have had to be referred to the District Hospital before she received her training, for Lucian this figure is a staggering 60%.  Both have also been passing on key oral health messages to those that attend clinic for whatever reason, teaching them how to look after their teeth regularly and the importance of good oral hygiene, helping to combat dental issues before they arise.

Your sponsorship has had a direct effect on those living in these communities and we are really grateful for that support.  

In 2016, the total number of Clinical Officers trained by Bridge2Aid since our first programme reached 452 – that’s an amazing 4,500,000 people that now have access to safe emergency dental treatment, thanks in no small part to our Unity Partners who have sponsored us over the years.

In addition, our training provided free treatment to 7,712 people – that’s more than the population of Dursley where our UK office is based!

What an impact your support makes - thank you and Happy New Year from the Bridge2Aid team.”