Dental Professionals Relieve Suffering by Providing Free Treatments and Education
Ships is seeking to reduce the incidence of dental disease in West Africa by offering dental clinics for treatment and education. In addition, Mercy Ships is partnering with locals to train them in dental practices. Most people in the West African nation of Benin can’t afford basic dental treatments, and if they could, most wouldn’t have access to a dentist. Only 52 dentists work in this country of seven million people.
“When I heard of the ship with dentists, I was so happy and overwhelmed,” says Jocelyn Ahouhnmenou. She has been waiting in line for three days with her daughter Débora. Neither of them have ever had a dental checkup. Like so many others in Benin they live with daily pain, having no way to end it. Jocelyn suffers from holes in her teeth, while Débora is having difficulty losing her baby teeth.
Operating a fleet of hospital ships, Mercy Ships provides free medical care to the nations of West Africa. While surgeons perform life-changing operations onboard, the dental team sets up a clinic in a nearby town.
Some pre-screened patients arrive at the dental clinic each morning with appointment cards in hand. But the need is overwhelming with many others waiting in line, sometimes for several days, hoping for a chance to see a dentist. Mercy Ships Dental Coordinator Dominique Vonnez screens the people waiting, offering appointments and hope to those unable to find help anywhere else. After three days of waiting in the African heat, Jocelyn and Débora are finally first in line. They are given an appointment card and an opportunity to see a dentist.
“To see the people who have had so much pain for so long to finally get help…I have people who come and they have infection coming out of their cheeks, they have swellings that have been there for months, they have been in pain for weeks.” explains Vonnez. “And for us to be able to say ‘come in we can help you today and end that agony,’ for me there’s a lot of fulfillment and joy in doing what I do here.”
Martin Dannoume teaches nutrition and dental hygiene as the patients wait. Martin is from Benin, and served as a translator and health teacher four years ago when a Mercy Ship made a visit. Working alongside Mercy Ships dentists, Martin was inspired to help the hurting poor in his home country. Today he is training as a dental assistant, and making plans for the future. He explains, “I still continue to teach in schools and churches, but then I have a different plan now, like trying to go to school for dentistry.”
Martin assists the Mercy Ships dentist as Jocelyn and Débora are treated. It takes only a few moments, and their months of pain and frustration are resolved. Mother and daughter leave grateful for the care that they received. Poverty is keeping many West Africans from having access to the help they need. Through treatment and education, Mercy Ships is seeking to remedy this problem. Thanks to the Mercy Ships dental team the burden of poverty is being lifted, and the pain relieved.
Mercy Ships is the leader in using a fleet of hospital ships to deliver free world-class health care services to the poor. Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships brings hope and healing to the poor in developing nations. Each year more than 2400 career and short-term volunteers serve with Mercy Ships. Mercy Ships has three hospital ships and offices in 17 countries and has visited more than 500 ports in over 50 developing nations. Mercy Ships has performed more than 2 million services, with a value of $250 million US.