Dentaid Strategic Categories – Capacity Building, Physical Resources

Background - The Peoples Democratic Republic of Lao is the one of the poorest countries in South Asia. With a population of 5.5 million, it has a per capita GDP of just $US 350 per annum.

Untreated dental decay is a major problem in Lao, and treatment needs are very high. Unfortunately, the Lao Government and dental profession are ill equipped to meet this need. Lao has only 300 dentists to provide oral care to the people of Lao (1 dentist : 18,333 population). Therefore, much of the population of Lao rely upon DIY or “street” dentistry, provided by untrained practitioners, usually with no anaesthetic but more seriously inadequate cross infection control, risking the spread of life threatening diseases.

The national dental school was identified as a key strategic organisation in the development and implementation of a Lao oral health strategy. Part of the long-term programme strategy is to shift the national dental school towards adopting a more primary health care approach and equipping students with skills in developing oral health promotion activities. However, as part of this clinical services were needed and the school and the overall oral health strategy was undermined by the desperate condition of the school. The school was poorly equipped, which severely limited the ability of the school to train dental students at all, but also to meet the local’s community treatment needs, serve as the man national referral centre, and maintain and teach adequate cross infection control.

Area of activity/(Partner Organisations) – Laos (Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Laos.

Strategic Partners & Consultants –  AOI (Aide Odontologique Internationale), France  

Funding was raised for this project and a team from Dentaid spent three weeks in Laos. During this time 7 existing chairs were repaired, 25 dentists trained in maintenance and repairs and 8 Dentaid surgeries were installed. 

The eight Dentaid surgeries will become the centre for teaching restoration techniques and the seven repaired units will give the university a valuable increase in the capacity of other sections in the teaching unit.

Click here for more details of the trip