A dental team from Plymouth has visited Kenya to give basic dental care to around 800 people.
The group was from The Plymouth Dental Centre of Excellence and Devon Dental Centre of Excellence.
The dental team of 10, including dentists in Plymouth, visited Kisimu, which is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria. It was part of a mission planned by the Smilestar Charity, which was launched by Dr Mitesh Badiani, lead clinician at the Plymouth centre.
The charity plans a host of projects to give dental and health care to people in Kenya, India and Uganda.
The purpose of the trip to Kisimu was to give much-needed dental care to people in rural communities, many of the 800 people receiving treatment had never seen a dentist before and general awareness of oral health and hygiene are poor.
Dr Badiani said the visit was tiring and difficult, but highly rewarding too. Many of the patients seen were in poor health; a high number had HIV and most of them had not received any medical or dental treatment for a long time.
Dr Badiani said the community had already contacted the charity asking them to return and there are plans to start a clinic in Kisimu, which Dr Badiani said were “very exciting.”
The charity also gives money for dental care for medically discharged Royal Marines.