Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/Joel Carillet

A project called ‘Seal Cambodia’ is seeking self-funded volunteer dentists, dental hygienists, dental therapists and senior dental students to go to Cambodia, Southeast Asia, for one to two weeks to work in primary schools and help achieve a goal of sealing 20,000 children's first permanent molars in a year.

Seal Cambodia is a three-year project to save children's teeth in a country where the levels of caries are among the highest in the world (dmft of 8-10 at age five).

Callum Durward, Chair of the Global Child Dental Fund (Cambodia), said: ‘We know this project will make a huge difference to the dental health of these children – most of whom presently face extraction of their 6s by the time they reach high school’.

The project can arrange to collect volunteers from the airport, accommodation, local sightseeing, transport to and from schools, and assistants to work with you. Training on how the programme works and the protocols for GIC sealant placement will be given. Instruments and materials will be provided.

sealcambodia@hotmail.com; for other dental opportunities for volunteers in Cambodia or to donate used burs or other items email gcdfundcambodia@hotmail.com.