Dental volunteerism: is the current model working?

摘要

Oral health has been recognized as a basic human right I by numerous dental and public health organizations internationally. Yet more than 70% of the world's population, mostly in low-and middle-income countries, are in need of appropriate and affordable oral health care. Some factors that contribute to poor oral health include a lack of resources, oral hygiene habits, oral health education and accessible oral health care.Driven by compassion and a desire to help, manv dentists and students work with dental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide care in these countries. However, while volunteer ism is admirable, the traditional aid model often involves short-term missions that focus on a curative approach, which is not always appropriate, holding little or no long-term benefits.