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Volunteer overseas

Where will dentistry take you?

Our 2027 overseas volunteering dates are now live. We have volunteering trips to Uganda, Malawi and Cambodia that give UK dental professionals the chance to use their skills where they are needed most.

You can find full details about each trip, including how to apply and how to fundraise, on our dedicated Uganda, Malawi and Cambodia pages.

2027 overseas volunteering dates

Uganda

  • 11 February - 27 February 2027     Now fully booked
  • 10 June - 25 June 2027
  • 16 September - 1 October 2027    1 place remaining

Malawi

  • 1 July – 18 July 2027

Cambodia

  • 13 March - 27 March 2027     Spaces filling fast!
  • 6 November - 20 November 2027

About our overseas volunteering trips

Dentaid overseas volunteering experiences offer an incredible opportunity for UK dental professionals to use their skills in other parts of the world. Working as part of a team, you’ll treat hundreds of people who would otherwise have no access to treatment.

Most trips last around two weeks. You’ll work alongside local dentists to run dental clinics in a range of settings, including prisons, orphanages, refugee camps, community centres, churches, schools and remote villages.

Fundraising for overseas trips

Gift Aid cannot be claimed if you or a connected person donate to your trip; this is because the charity pays for the travel and accommodation, these are deemed a benefit to the volunteer by HMRC. If you (the volunteer) donate money towards these costs, you cannot claim Gift Aid. For more information please look at our Gift Aid information page. 

If you would like a collection tin to raise money for your overseas trip there is a charge to cover the cost of post and packaging, please email fundraising@dentaid.org for more information.

 

Uganda

Our charity supports an amazing team of Ugandan dental professionals all year round and our volunteering teams work alongside them to run outreach clinics.

Find out more

Malawi

We have supported a range of projects in Malawi that bring outreach dental care to remote communities. Dentaid The Dental Charity volunteers work alongside Malawian dental professionals.

Find out more

Cambodia

Dentaid volunteers work with a Cambodian-based charity and local dentists to provide basic dental care in prisons, schools, remote communities and slum areas.

Find out more

Supporting your wellbeing when volunteering overseas. 

Working in resource-limited environments during overseas volunteering with Dentaid can be physically demanding and may present challenges for managing existing medical needs. The nature of the work often involves long days, basic living conditions in shared accommodation and travel to remote areas with limited infrastructure and medical facilities, which can cause increased stress and disruption to routine.

Conditions may be exacerbated by several factors inherent to the setting, including a lack of consistent access to flush toilets, requiring the use of basic latrines (drop toilets), significant variation in food types and preparation, limited or non-existent shower facilities and hot, sticky environmental conditions. As a result, conditions that are typically well managed at home, including physical issues, dermatological conditions, gastrointestinal issues or mental health conditions, may worsen due to reduced access to usual support networks and healthcare provision.

For the safety of all team members and patients, Dentaid requires all prospective volunteers to disclose any physical or mental health condition that could potentially affect their participation or the safety and wellbeing of themselves or others during the trip. This is essential as the challenging living conditions, such as the use of latrines (drop toilets), dietary changes, limited access to regular hygiene and high temperatures, can directly affect the management of certain long-term conditions, including mobility issues, inflammatory bowel disease, skin conditions, mental health conditions or diabetes.

This information enables Dentaid to assess the suitability of the placement and discuss any necessary adjustments, contingency planning and the feasibility of managing a condition within these environmental constraints. Volunteers are also responsible for managing their pre-existing medical conditions and for arranging comprehensive travel insurance that covers any pre-existing conditions, vaccinations and potential emergency medical treatment required in the destination country, as these costs are not covered by fundraising fees.

We encourage open and honest communication about your health to help ensure a safe, positive and impactful experience for everyone involved.