Rural Rwanda Dental | Changing Lives in Africa

We develop and evaluate a culturally-appropriate, accessible and affordable intervention to reduce tooth decay and improve the nutrition, growth and overall health and well-being of young children in rural Rwanda.

Our focus is prevention: oral health promotion to reduce mouth pain in children so they can eat, sleep, play, and learn better.

During our Community Outreach, we:

• Provide training to community health workers, Rwandan dental therapists, nurses, and teachers so they can teach oral health and nutrition to children and families

• Apply sealants to healthy teeth

• Apply fluoride varnish 3 times per year

• Fill small cavities with ART (Atraumatic Restorative Treatment)

• Distribute toothbrushes

• Provide yearly dental exams for children. Those with tooth decay are referred to the district hospital’s dental clinic for treatment

If you are a dental, medical, or teaching professional looking for a life changing experience, please join us.

Read more about getting involved.

In an effort to stabilize the oral health of rural Rwanda’s children, Rural Rwanda Dental (RRD) is collaborating with Kigali Health Institute (KHI) and Dr. Drew Cahoon to teach Rwandan dental therapists how to provide Community Dental Outreach (oral hygiene instruction, ART, sealants, and fluoride varnish) in the primary schools and community health centers.

YOU can make a difference in just 2 weeks by being part of our 2012 team.

Learn about how our Teaching Model works!
Using the model, after just 2 weeks, the Rwandan student will be able to:

Take a health history
Perform an oral examination
Understand the importance of baby teeth and be able to identify them
Sterilize instruments
Identify and use the appropriate curettes and scalers for basic cleanings
Place an ART
Apply fluoride varnish
Place a sealant
Teach prevention

Because of our training process, the children’s newly erupted permanent teeth will have either an ART or sealant plus fluoride varnish. Coupling these treatments with yearly dental exams and preventive techniques taught by nurses, teachers, and community health workers to families will stabilize the children’s dental health for life!

• Trek for gorillas in Volcanoes National Park
• Go on a safari in Akagera National Park
• Visit the Genocide Memorial
• Stroll the beaches of Gisenyl
• Visit beautiful Twin Lakes
• Tour a famous orphanage
• Shop at the local market
• Enjoy some free time

Download the Travel Checklist!