From the 26th of September to the 1st of October 2011, a group of volunteers including; two dentists and a dental nurse set off on a journey that would change their lives and the lives of others forever. Using the Matemwe primary school as their base of action the team began to set up a free dental camp designed, to improve the oral health of the youth in Zanzibar and to educate the children on how to keep oral hygiene up to a high standard. The dental check ups were free to the children and the target of the volunteers was to treat an estimated number of 150 children, in grades 1, 2 and 3 all between ages 7-12.

Dentistry is not so common in this stretch of the world. Some of the children were scared of the sounds of  whirring drills they could hear coming from the primary school as they anxiously waited outside, however some children were excited and couldn't wait to see what all the fuss was about. One thing was clear to the volunteers; the children needed some guidance and advice on oral hygiene, as well as treatment to their teeth. The  team knew they had to help the children maintain their new smiles.

For the volunteers an average day  started at 7:30am and fnished around 5pm. Before beginning their treatment the children were registered, given gifts to lessen their nerves and had their photo taken. The two dentists with the help of volunteers would carry out fissure sealants, extractions, composites, stainless steel crowns, amalgam, pulopotomies and occulations.  Beta Charitable Trust, recognised the immense work the volunteers were doing and the goals they were keen to achieve and subsequently we have funded all of the stainless steel crown treatments that were needed during the dental camps time in Matemwe.

The dental camp was  a great experience for  everyone. The children responded well to the treatment they received and seemed to absorb all the dental advice they had been given. The positives that came out of the camp were apparent to the volunteers. A lot of treatments went smoothly as the children showed great appreciation for the work and listened carefully to instructions. More children were taught   the importance of maintaining good teeth, one of the main reasons for the dental camp in the first place.

Below are some accounts from our volunteers on the experience they had at the dental camp:

"Attending the Matemwe dental camp was like a dream come true! I was in charge of sterilizing the dental instruments. Whenever there was no running water, I would run outside and fetch some from the tap. I watched women from the village doing the same as me as part of their daily life, coming outside, heaving great buckets of water back to their homes.It made me realise just how lucky I am."

"Life is an amazing gift and it offers us the privilege, opportunity and responsibility to give something back, opportunities do not come around so often. As I was informed about the dental camp In Matemwe, Zanzibar there was definitely no thinking twice about accepting the invite. I have always dreamt of  being able to go on various camps and being able to  offer my services to people in need."

In total the two dentist fitted 37 stainless steel crowns which were funded by Beta Charitable Trust and its donors. The crowns serve as a tooth where the original has died, enabling painless eating and drinking where pain had existed before. If a child has to  loose a tooth then a stainless steel cap is the safest and quickest way to replace the it.