'Everybody wants to do good. The real difference makers, in my opinion, are those who want to change the way things are being done for the better. We don't patch things up and move onto the next hero project.'

The words and mantra of Bridge2Aid CEO Mark Topley (45), who after 11 years of involvement and running the charity, remains as dedicated as ever in making a difference.

Bridge2Aid was established by founders Ian and Andie Wilson in 2002. The pair met in Tanzania in the mid-1990s as Ian made short-term dental visits and Andie helped to build an orphanage in the Mwanza region. Ian and Andie were later married in the UK but shared a strong desire to return to Tanzania. After having children the couple returned to Africa and they begin working with Bukumbi Care Centre – a care centre set up by the Tanzanian government during the 1970s for people affected by leprosy and other disabilities. The Wilsons also begin discussions with local and national government and other local agencies concerning the need for dental serives in the region.

Having worked in the field of oral health since 2003, Mark joined Bridge2Aid in 2005 and established Bridge2Aid's Dental Volunteer Programme (DVP) with his wife Jo and B2A co-founder Ian.

In January 2006 Mark and his wife Jo moved to Mwanza, Tanzania to develop Bridge2Aid's work. From small beginnings, the charity, its team and volunteers have now trained over 350 government health workers in emergency dentistry, treating over 31,000 people in the process and making access to treatment available to over 3.5 million people.

So what does a day in the life of a Bridge2Aid volunteer look like? Mark tells us more.

It is a very intensive, one-on-one eight day course. Given the intensity of what we do in Tanzania, it was our goal at the very beginning to spend a week with all of our volunteers to train them to our standards and expectations. Just look at extractions. Everyone will have their own idiosyncrasies when carrying out this procedure. The purpose of this is to bring everyone onto the same page. It doesn't matter if you have been qualified for 15 days or 15 years, the camaraderie and team ethic begins even before we have left the tarmac.

When we arrive it is often after a long flight with a few changes, so everyone is understandably a little bit weary. On our first full day we are straight in with full-on orientation. This is generally where we run through the dos and don'ts and cultural awareness and sensitivities. For instance it is rude to point in Tanzania, and I fully believe in respecting the culture you are working in. We are not there to impose our ways and cultures on the Tanzanian people. We are there to work and adapt to theirs. When Ian first wanted to make a difference, I always remember him telling me he wanted to integrate whatever we did into normal society for it to become a way of life.

Day two is on to training. We run through a lot of theory with the local health workers, who take on a watching brief while the volunteers run through the practical side. This is extremely detailed and relies heavily upon the expertise of the dentists we take. That is why our screening process in the UK takes several months. We have to find the right people to contribute who can hit the ground running. We don't want to waste a minute, given we only have a maximum of eight days with the health workers.

By the time days three and four arrive, we are in a position where our dentists are supervising local health workers performing tooth extractions. It's a highly rewarding thing to see for the volunteers. Maybe that's why so many people tell me it's a huge buzz and they get hooked instantly.

Now we are 10 years on from our first involvement in Tanzania, and I'm delighted to say we have successfully integrated the scheme to such an extent that we have handed it over to the government. We have recently established a successful pilot in Rwanda, who for historical reasons have an extremely young regime keen on implementing changes. They are excited about what we can offer the healthcare system. The data is there to show how successful we have been.

A health worker trained in emergency dental treatment by Bridge2Aid provides access to 10,000 people and can see over 200 dental patients a year. In addition, 84% of patients visiting a Bridge2Aid trained health worker will receive an extraction and immediate pain relief.

Since there has been access to emergency dental care in the rural areas made available through training local health workers, the district dental facilities have experienced a 34% decrease in the number of dental patients. This is why in other parts of East Africa we are currently engaged in discussion with a number of high-ranking government officials about the programme and the benefits it can offer.

Some people ask me why do we do this, and the answer is quite simple. When you are out there it may be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, but you come back a better person. In my early days I met what I would describe as a hallmark patient. I remember it vividly. It was towards the end of the programme – the last day in fact – when a father came to us with a fractured jaw from where his dentist had attempted to take six teeth out. He had an almighty swelling and bone fragments imbedded in his jaw. He had been unable to eat and was on the edge of desperation. That is when it hit home just how vital our work was. It is bittersweet to know many years later our service is still required, but I know we have made substantial progress and improved many, many lives.

The same applies to children. It can, and has often, left volunteers in tears seeing the condition of their mouths. For us pain relief is a priority. Educating the health workers and the locals will always be a running theme. So many people risk injury by performing complicated procedures purely because they cannot afford it. That is why Bridge2Aid exists and will need to exist for the foreseeable future.

Interview by David Westgarth