people.

The vast numbers of children unable to receive any sort of oral health care in these countries is overwhelming. New techniques of providing oral health care and new methods of education of oral hygiene, have been developed by Teethsavers to facilitate these goals in the absence of normal dental equipment.

The tooth filling, advocated by the World Health Organization (WHO) Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) was developed by Dr. Jo Frencken, MSc, DDS, PhD, the Netherlands during 14 years in Africa and was International Dentist of 1999. Dr. Frencken has been my main consultant since 2000. Graduates of our school in Zambia, Nicaragua, Malawi and Sierra Leone are registered by each countries Medical and Dental Council.

Our organization is the only one teaching full-time ART procedures, no electricity needed and teaching oral hygiene at the children primary school, including mothers and school teacher workshop. We are the fourth category dental school that too many in the world do not know about – Yet.

Easy to move wooden apparatus is locally made and the uniqueness of the apparatus is its simplicity: the child lies on the wooden bench with hers/his head in the lap of the operator while the dental assistant using a wooden table and stool, passes instruments and material in modern four-handed dentistry in a virtually painless process at the patients school. No Tears, No Fears.

Mothers are taught to start daily oral hygiene at age three months (cloth around finger, carefully) and child looking at a picture book, if she cannot read, to develop the child's curiosity. One mother, more literate, teaches the other mothers and follows-up weekly.

Graduates, following the supervised six months field practical, can have a low fee private practice or work for their government.

Tooth decay is the most prevalent childhood disease (bacterial infection) in the world. (WHO)