For me, as a 70-year-old dentist, it has been a wonderful experience to take part in a dental mission in Rwanda alongside a highly skilled team.
The first week we worked at a refugee camp; the second week at a health centre in Nyamgabe. Our work involved pain management, i.e. tooth extractions, as well as providing guidance on toothbrushing and other dental care.
We worked alongside young students from Rwanda, who acted as interpreters for the patients and as kind and knowledgeable guides for many of the other practical activities, including visits to the market and a safari trip.
What made the biggest impression on me was that people had time. They were happy to wait half a day for treatment after having walked a long way. There were people everywhere, walking or cycling along the roads, and we met lots of smiling, waving children. It’s not out of the question that I might sign up for another trip sometime.
