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.

Government to help formulate a national oral health strategy for the country. This process has identified the national dental school 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 are needed and the school and the overall oral health strategy is undermined by the desperate condition of the school. The school is poorly equipped, which is severely limiting 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.

Brief Description – Dentaid will provide vital equipment to double the capacity of the school in terms of training surgery stations, and to refurbish and equip the central sterilisation room. A dental engineer training course will be implemented to train hospital maintenance staff in the servicing, maintenance and repair of dental equipment to ensure sustainability. Further extensive training will be provided to staff and students in cross-infection control and community oral health techniques and approaches.

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  

Anticipated Outcomes

• Improved capacity of the Lao Dental School to help it fulfil its vital role in training dental workers to better serve the oral health needs of the population of Lao. 
• In particular, doubling capacity for clinical training of students, doubling the capacity of the school to treat patients and introduction of a robust cross infection control system and model for treatment centres in Lao.