Oral diseases currently affect around 3.5 billion people in the world - it is primarily the poorest, most disadvantaged and most marginalised populations who are suffering the most. Bridge2Aid are working in exciting new ways so that they have a bigger impact on oral health, and a lower impact on the environment. They're going to be flying fewer volunteers to Africa, and working much more closely with African dental professionals. These local professionals are going to be delivering the majority of Bridge2Aid's training. And their training is going to cover much more. This also means that they will be nimbler, able to support projects in a wider range of countries, and impact on many thousands more lives.

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In February, Bridge2Aid worked in partnership with Tanzanian dentists to deliver training and education around the issue of infant oral mutilation to nearly 500 health workers, community educators and school teachers in northern Tanzania. In March, they were working with dental therapists in Malawi to train 90 community health workers, teachers and youth workers to become oral health promoters in their villages. Much more is planned for the rest of the year.

If you would like to support the work of Bridge2Aid, and help prevent oral disease and pain, sign up to the Treat 1: Train 1 scheme. Just donate the income from treating one patient in pain in your practice in the UK each month and Bridge2Aid can train one oral health promoter in a rural community in East Africa. For more information visit https://bridge2aid.enthuse.com/#!/.