Nepal Pokhara

Dental Outreach in Nepal

Work the World Dental Outreach projects are available to any dental student who, at the time of travel, has completed at least the penultimate year of study on a recognised university course.  These global health programs run for 2 weeks at a time, on set dates throughout the summer vacation period and are open to people from any country, provided you have a good level of English.

A dental outreach project in Nepal will provide you with a fortnight unlike anything you have experienced before.  The communities in which we work are often quite remote, and reaching them is often an adventure in itself!  Once you arrive you will be welcomed in traditional Nepalese style, and you will increasingly feel that you are a valued and respected member of the local community, as the days go past.  Children will come running up to you on the streets and people will greet you everywhere you go, in line with the traditions of hospitality in these rural areas.  Take time to learn about the customs of the people and you will find that your time becomes as much about cultural exchange as about bringing dental care to an isolated Nepali community.

The Project

Taking part in a dental outreach in Nepal is a great way in which to get some solid experience of clinical practice, against the exciting backdrop of a rural Nepalese village.  Every year our staff team in Nepal continues to surprise us with the high quality of the placements they are able to organize, and communities that we work in are always immensely grateful for all the work that is put in – both by the local Work the World staff and the students who travel out with us.  Without such efforts these villagers would receive little or no dental provision, so the uptake is extremely high, as you can imagine.  We try to concentrate on screening and treating the children at first, but if we are able to, then we will often extend this to the adults, in the second week.

Each dental outreach in Nepal is run by a project leader, who is responsible for ensuring that all aspects of the program run as smoothly as possible.  They will give you an orientation to the local area, coordinate the practicalities of the project and will generally be on hand to deal with any problems that you have.

Each dental outreach team also has a supervisor – a qualified dentist, who runs the clinical side of the program.  They will organize the way in which the group works and provide you with the support and guidance that you need in order to get the most out of the placement, including getting a substantial amount of clinical experience.  However it is vital that you realize that the work you get to do will reflect your training and the confidence that your supervisor has in your abilities, as the ultimate responsibility for the patients’ welfare rests with them.

Our clinics run from Monday to Friday, with the weekends free for independent travel.  Your options will very much depend on the location of the outreach in any particular year, but our local staff will be able to provide you with more information when you arrive in Nepal.

Accommodation and Food

As with our ordinary elective placements in Nepal, our dental outreach program includes all accommodation.  However, due to the fact that each outreach takes place in a different location, the exact nature of this accommodation will vary - sometimes it will be in a local guesthouse, at other times it will be in a private property.  These facilities may be rather basic, as a rural setting tends to dictate, but we will always ensure that they are safe, secure, clean and comfortable, with running water and electricity.  We will also provide you with all your meals during the working week, which will include food prepared onsite by our staff, as well as meals out in local cafes and restaurants.  You will be able to try all sorts of delicious Nepalese dishes, such as dal bhat, momo, tarkari and roti, served up on a thali – a traditional metal plate.