Our Work In Liberia
We are thrilled to be joining Serving In Mission (SIM) on our mission to Liberia.
James will be volunteering at the Trinity Dental Clinic while also contributing to the education of dental therapy students at the Liberia Dental Therapy School. The project is currently led by Dr Simon Stretton-Downes OBE, who is due to retire in 2025. By joining the Trinity Dental Clinic team at this time, James hopes to help the team transition into the next chapter with Dr Simon no longer present as the lead.
Anna will be helping in a variety of roles alongside looking after Max and Phoebe.
Together we are very excited to start this journey, and to make a meaningful impact in Liberia.
Dentistry In Liberia
Liberia, with a population exceeding 5 million, stands as one of the few nations globally without dental training facilities. This scarcity of dentists and dental therapists within the healthcare system presents a significant public health challenge.
Presently, only three of Liberia's fifteen counties offer dental care services, manned by approximately seven dentists and a few lesser qualified Dental Practitioners. The impact of poor oral health reverberates throughout Liberian society, hampering both economic and social development. Common oral ailments include periodontal diseases, trauma, oral manifestations of general illnesses, and oral cancers, with dental decay standing as the most prevalent. Oral diseases, like dental decay, pose a considerable health burden across the populace, leading to pain, discomfort, disfigurement, and, in severe cases, even fatalities.
Nevertheless, by addressing oral health issues early with basic dental care, the majority of these concerns can be prevented and effectively treated. Community-based prevention initiatives are instrumental in this regard, as they serve to heighten oral health awareness, disseminate crucial prevention messages, and advocate for self-care practices. Through these efforts, the overall burden of oral diseases on Liberia's population can be significantly reduced.
Trinity Dental Clinic
The inception of Trinity Dental Clinic traces back to a vision that originated with Frieda Schmidt, a dental therapy practitioner from Canada, and Dr. Nicki Chapman, a dentist from the US, who were serving aboard the Mercy Ships. Their experience ignited a strong conviction about the necessity for a land-based facility that could offer both treatment and training opportunities.
Established in 2008 at ELWA Hospital in Monrovia, Trinity Dental Clinic aimed to address these pressing needs. From the very beginning, the vision for this clinic has been threefold, as depicted in the triangular trinity dental logo: teaching, treating, and training. These aspects have been ongoing to varying degrees throughout the years.
In 2019, the clinic expanded into a purpose-built facility and currently boast 8 clinical rooms and a staff of over 20 individuals. This diverse team includes a Liberian dentist, a dental nurse practitioner, 4 senior dental assistants specializing in tooth extractions, 3 hygienists, 2 denture technicians, and 4 expatriate missionary dentists.
In anticipation of future needs, the clinic took proactive steps in 2018 by sending a staff member to receive training at Nairobi Dental School, Kenya. With prior clinical and administrative experience, this individual is due to qualify in February 2025 and assume the role of team lead. Another staff member underwent training in 2022 and is expected to qualify by 2028, thereby contributing further to the pool of fully qualified Liberian dentists.
Additionally, the clinic conducts periodic outreach trips to rural areas, providing much-needed dental extractions where access to dental care is scarce. However, there remains a recognized need for well-trained dental professionals distributed across Liberia who can deliver consistent dental care on a permanent basis.
Liberia Dental Therapy School
In 2022, the time was right to expand the clinic's original vision of dental training by launching a formal 2-year Dental Therapist training program. The school was inaugurated in October 2022, and by July 2024, the inaugural class of 7 Dental Therapy Practitioners (DTP) is expected to graduate.
These graduates will have completed a comprehensive 2-year diploma course approved by the Liberian Ministry of Health. The diploma will be conferred by Cuttington University, a private institution in Liberia, with academic support from Peninsula Dental School at the University of Plymouth, UK. Additionally, they will be licensed by the Liberia Medical and Dental Council.
Upon returning to their respective hometowns across Liberia, armed with Dentaid field kits, they will provide crucial dental care services while sustaining themselves economically.
Presently, 15 students are undergoing training, with the first cohort of 7 students expected to complete their program by June 2024, followed by the second cohort of 8 students by June 2025.
To accommodate the growing student population, a dedicated Therapist School building was constructed adjacent to the existing Trinity Dental Clinic, completed in February 2024. This extension includes 4 additional clinical rooms, a waiting area, and a classroom, enabling the intake of more students starting September 2024.
Serving In Mission
SIM is a global mission organization comprising over 4,000 workers spread across 70 countries worldwide. Members of SIM dedicate themselves to serving God amidst a wide array of cultural and ethnic groups across every continent. With a diverse international workforce representing approximately 70 nationalities, SIM is firm in the conviction that no one should live and die without hearing the good news of the gospel. Driven by this conviction, SIM is committed to fulfilling its calling to spread the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ and make disciples in communities where His presence is least known.
You can read more about the work of SIM here - https://www.sim.org/mission-purpose-and-vision