In all of the countries DHC travels to dental care is practically non-existent. Poor dental health puts them at risk of developing worse medical issues. It is hard to imagine, but recent numbers by the World Health Organization report that almost 3.5 billion people in the world are suffering from oral diseases and conditions that have arisen as the result of poor dental health. Loads of missionaries bring medical care to impoverished countries, but to date, dental care is an underserved area. And the ones suffering the most from this are children. There are a variety of dental volunteer projects, both at home in a support role, or on the ground, in which you can participate.
Security and safety are taken seriously at Dental Hope for Children and all necessary security precautions and processes are in place. However, we cannot guarantee your safety on the trip. To ensure the best possible outcome for everyone involved, we adhere to the following protocols and procedures:
- We provide detailed security training for all volunteers that includes cultural awareness, as well as trip procedures.
- We take security precautions using technology such as radios and smartphones.
- The buddy system is always in play, and when traveling we urge participants to use emails provided by DHC to protect identities.
- We rely on those traveling with us to adhere to their own safety as well as that of others and to be aware of their surroundings.
- DHC reviews all State Department and U.S. Embassy briefs, determining current activities that may impact travel and services.