Dental Volunteers

The goal of International Medical Relief global dental relief volunteers on our missions is to provide free dental services for patients who have never had or had limited access to dental care. Globally, dental care is limited in developing nations. Providing this much-needed service improves the overall health of the communities IMR serves. Volunteer dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, and dental students, plus highly interested dental volunteers with no previous dental experience work together in our global dental clinics to give our patients the care that they desperately need. Our dental students work individually or with dental schools for dental study abroad opportunities globally. We need dental volunteers for every international medical mission we take.

Office Team – Group Practice Mission

Make this an experience for everyone to share! Serve in the comfort of having your own staff by your side by getting the whole office together. It’s also a great way to show your patients the dedication that you and your staff have to others, as well as offers a unique opportunity for you to bring the whole team together to fundraise for the experience. Offices find group missions with IMR a valuable opportunity not only to build up their team but identify their values to the patients they serve.

International Medical Relief is featured within American Dental Association’s database of volunteer organizations. IMR is the largest dental mission provider and serves the most countries of all of those organizations featured. We care for both pediatric and adult patients on every dental mission. IMR provides global dental malpractice insurance for all of our volunteers.

The youngest patient of the day, a 4-year-old, arrived with a personal letter from his school’s principal. The principal wrote that the child had been to the hospital numerous times to get treatment, but for many reasons was turned away each time. The letter begged for us to admit him. Due to his age and diagnosis it was complex case, but my team and I were still able to extract one of his incisors – a baby tooth that was so infected that it caused the permanent tooth to emerge prematurely through the gums. We sent him home feeling much better. Talk about feeling a sense of fulfillment and making a difference!

Roles for Dental Volunteers in Clinic

Dentists

On our missions, volunteer dentists focus primarily on meeting the greatest needs of our patients: performing examinations and extractions, treating abscesses, and referring patients for suspected oral cancers. Our dentists also provide sealants and fluoride treatments, when possible. Our goal is far greater than simply treating the acute dental need today; our goal is to save teeth in the future by providing oral hygiene education and toothbrushes to our patients, and educating local dental students wherever possible.

Dental & Pre-Dental Students

Volunteer pre-dental and dental students, missions with IMR provide an amazing learning opportunity. Dental students receive a hands-on residency experience under boarded general dentists, specialists, and oral surgeons, as well as local providers on our global outreach dental missions. Pre-dental students have the chance to work alongside and shadow our dentists, providing assistance in patient care. We encourage pre-dental and dental students to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to gain hands-on experience, see the world, and impact communities in need, one smile at a time.

Dental Assistants

Volunteer dental assistants are critical during our dental missions by providing chair-side care during dental procedures. They perform a variety of duties including patient management, patient registration, charting, fluoride treatments and support with instruments and sterilization. Patient comfort and peace of mind for family members are critical to the success of every dental clinic.

Our dental assistants help create a peaceful atmosphere in our dental clinics and stay with patients and family members throughout their experience. Post-operative instruction is also a very important role of our dental assistants as we want to ensure proper use of any medications as well as proper care of the area treated.

Hygienists

Volunteer hygienists perform preliminary oral examinations, patient cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants and much needed oral hygiene instruction. Most often this is the first oral cleaning that these patients have ever had! Their beautiful smiles sparkle even more when their hearts are touched by our wonderful volunteer hygienists.

Check out our Yale Speaker Series with IMR

Resources for Dental Volunteers

Testimonials from Dental Volunteers

I was born in the urban area in Vietnam, then I immigrated to America with my family. My dream is to become a dentist because I want to take care of people’s health and use my skills to help people. This mission gave me a chance to come back my country and to go to remote area in Vietnam for the first time. I realized that remote people lack oral care and oral knowledge. They don’t know the importance of the interaction between oral health and body health. This mission helped me have a closer look at remote Vietnamese people’s oral problems and understand the difficult living condition of people here, which gave me more motivation to pursue my dream. In addition, I learned a lot from Vietnamese people here about local culture and from all my teammates about dental and medical knowledge and the interaction between people. On this mission, we didn’t have enough dental staff and sufficient equipment to treat all dental diseases for everyone, which made me feel unhappy. However, this gives me a reason to come back. In the future, I would like to come back here as a real dentist and I want to bring more dental staff with me to help making the healthier community. In addition, I want to form the small class so we can educate the community in order to increase their awareness about how important oral health is.

Yesterday I just sat down in my apartment and cried. This mission has been overwhelming in the greatest possible way. The pain, the fear, the accomplishment, the pride, the vulnerability, the innocence of it all is beautiful to me. Feelings I never thought I had the capacity to feel. Perception that I didn’t think existed until now. A reality that was unknown to me. I just would like to give an enormous thank you and the warmest of hugs to the entire team, the team leader, the guides, the porters, and to International Medical Relief. You guys are out of this world amazing.

I can’t begin to convey the sheer admiration, respect, and love I have for all these people. This mission to Nicaragua, documenting International Medical Relief’s mission to make a very simple yet profound impact on the lives of those less privileged has touched my heart and helped guide it in a more meaningful direction. The bravery and unbridled sense of kindness woven throughout these people’s character and this experience has shown me something new and refreshing that I will never forget. From our IMR crew to the people of Nicaragua, you will be with me always.

Join Us in Making a Difference.

Bring much-needed acute medical and dental care to a beautiful, culture-rich destination. You can join an IMR medical mission team today!

Dental Volunteers

Office Team – Group Practice Mission

Roles for Dental Volunteers in Clinic

Dentists

Dental & Pre-Dental Students

Dental Assistants

Hygienists

Check out our Yale Speaker Series with IMR

Resources for Dental Volunteers

Testimonials from Dental Volunteers

Join Us in Making a Difference.

About Us

Who Can Volunteer?

Volunteer Resources

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