Oral health as part of general health - Oral health has long suffered from the historic separation of oral health (or rather dentistry) from general health/medicine. Although Dentaid is a specialist oral health charity, it campaigns for and treats oral health as an integral part of general health and a key component of holistic well-being.

Up-stream and mid-stream approach – Dentaid balances its portfolio of projects and activities between up-stream and mid-stream activities. In other words, to balance efforts and resources between projects which have a broad effect on global oral health (e.g. Campaign for removal of cosmetic taxation on fluoride) and programmes directly improving oral health in individual communities (e.g. Dentaid school oral health programmes). In these examples, one project is working towards establishing a tooth brushing habit amongst children in middle and low-income countries, while the other is designed to ensure that fluoride toothpaste is more affordable when those children eventually leave school and have to purchase it.

Services – Dentaid’s strategic priorities and services are designed to encompass the whole range of oral health development needs and disciplines in middle and low-income countries. Thus to, in essence, become a one-stop shop for governments and NGOs wishing to implement oral health programmes. This helps to promote a joined-up approach in oral health strategy – something that has been lacking in many past NGO interventions. In addition, Dentaid’s major programmes include a number of innovative product development projects, building upon the charity’s reputation and in-house skills in this area. Dentaid’s Portable Solar-Powered Steriliser (A feasibility study), Fluoride Gel Programme and Toothpaste Dispenser Programme.

 

Partnership - One of Dentaid’s core values and its main project delivery method is through strategic partnerships (alliances.) Dentaid is committed to partnering with a number of different types of organisations who are stakeholders in improving oral health and health care provision in middle and low-income countries. Therefore, Dentaid retains a balanced portfolio of government and NGO partner programmes.

 

Geographical priorities - One of Dentaid’s strengths is its wide geographical activity. However, while the charity continues to engage and support NGOs around the world through its general activities, its major projects are concentrated on a smaller number of countries and regions at any one time to maximise strategic impact. With a major record of activity and experience in Africa and Asia, Dentaid is currently pursuing major government and NGO projects in Uganda (Ugandan Oral Health Programme), Cameroon (Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board Project) and Laos (Lao Dental School Programme). It is hoped that elements and experiences of these programmes will then be able to be applied to other similar countries in the regions.

 

Scale (size) of projects/partners – In the absence of alternative oral health charities supplying similar resources, as well as its major programmes with large-scale partners, Dentaid looks to support small-scale individual oral health projects where possible with appropriate services. At the same time, it attempts to influence and equip these small projects to engage on a more strategic level within their countries or regions.