The Process

To ensure that the volunteering trip is effective, and the delivery of our efforts is efficient, the process has been structured under the following stations/process:

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Volunteer Team Roles

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• Forms and Documents: 

  • Patient card: contains patients’ name, ID, medical history, vital signs, and the procedures to be done.

  • Disclaimer form: A form that explains to the parents what might be done during the dental camp visits including signed consent for possible tooth extraction and preventative restorations.

  • Post extraction instructions paper: A paper containing images and instructions of what to do and avoid after tooth extraction. To be given to patients after tooth extractions.

• Check-up and diagnosis

  • Dental examination.

  • Documenting medical history.

  • Recording vital signs.

  • Diagnosis of teeth requiring normal extractions and fissure sealants and marking them on the chart.

• Fissure Sealant Application

  • Fissure sealants application for sound first and second molars

• Dental Extractions

  • Only teeth indicated for normal extractions are attempted.

  • No third molars extractions attempted unless the teeth are mobile.

  • Students who are in their clinical years and interns may perform dental extractions under supervision of the general practitioners.

• Topical Fluoride Application

  • All patients will pass by this station and get the topical fluoride application.

  • Topical fluoride gel will used and applied intraorally in trays.

  • Can be done in batches of 5 or 10 students to save time.

• Oral Health Education

  • All patients will pass by this station and get the oral health education.

  • Demonstration of oral hygiene practices and correct tooth brushing techniques on a dental model.

  • Explanation and demonstration of healthy eating habits and effect of diet on tooth decay.

  • Giving out toothbrushes and toothpaste gifts.

• Disinfection

  • In a dental camp setting an autoclave machine is not going to be available. Disinfection of bloody instruments following dental extractions will be carried out by wiping the instruments with disinfectant wipes and placing them in disinfectant solution before using them again.

  • Instruments and equipment used in fissure sealants such as etchant tubes and sealant tubes can be wiped with disinfectant wipes only.

  • Most of the instruments used in the camp are disposable ones such as tongue depressors, micro-brushes and fluoride trays and will be discarded after single use.

• Additional Points

  • Scrubs are advised for dental camp sessions

  • Gloves, masks, and gowns will be provided for you.

  • Face shields will not be provided.

  • If you’d like to change your gown more frequently between patients, we advise that you bring additional gowns for your use.

  • Considering that we will not be working in a usual clinic setting, there will be no source of light when performing procedures. We advise that you buy a headlamp. Most affordable and durable type is a hiking headlamp available in Decathlon or any hiking shop.

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