Kashmir – October 2019

Kashmir 2019

Day 1

The DAN team visited the KORT orphanage and undertook oral screening for all the 400 children in addition to providing all with toothpastes, tooth brushes, application of Fluoride varnish and treatment planning.

We also visited a rural village which we visited last year and provided the children with tooth brushing instruction , diet advice and gave each child a tooth brush with tooth paste.

The clinics have all been wiped down and ready to start of treatments tomorrow.

 

Day 2

The DAN team was up bright and early for the first clinical day. A quick morning coffee focused some members of the team for the long day ahead.

We arrived at DHQ dental headquarters to find that the new management have put in some time and effort to revamp the surgeries. A smooth 8.30am start due to KORT organisers bringing the young patients in perfect time.

The initial group of patients were the older boys from KORT. The team split into three in order to utilise the facilities of the clinic. Treatments ranged from OHI, Flouride application, scaling, fillings and extractions. A second group of patients arrived after the lunch, this group were the younger boys who showed great enthusiasm towards the treatment and we managed to complete their care in efficient time. This allowed the team to get a head start on the list of girls who required treatment. With an extra push the team worked through to 7pm in order to complete treatment on around 75 patients.

An evening dinner invitation at a local village that DAN team visited for a distribution the previous day saw us welcomed with great hospitality, a traditional Pashtun dinner under the clear night sky lit up by the beaming full moon.

A long tiring but successful day.

Day 3

The team arrived at Mirpur DHQ for a second day. Today the Dan team were lucky enough to be able to treat the girls of Kashmir Orphans Relief trust and obtain help from the senior kort girls and staff.

Another extremely busy day performing multiple procedures ranging from scaling, extractions, restorations, anterior aesthetic build ups and most importantly oral hygiene and prevention advice.

In the evening we had a dental seminar event organised for dentists, some of whom had travelled over 2 hours to be there. The day ended with organising our equipment for our outreach clinic to a village about 2 hours drive from the city.

Another long day tomorrow with an early start !

 

Day 4

The dental team visited a charity hospital -Hope Welfare Hospital in Kotli. The team had visited this establishment in 2018 and were met with familiar faces.

The hospital has an amazing set up with up to date equipment and highly trained staff. Extractions, hand mix direct restorations were placed coupled with every patient undergoing oral health advice. Everyone was given a tooth brush , tooth paste and a miswak also.

A very productive day , with a long journey back to the hotel alongside the beautiful scenery.

 

Day 5 – Kasgumma Welfare Trust

DAN visited a rural village in Azad Jammu Kashmir which has been not so long ago. Treatment for the poor and children is free here.

They were welcomed by local school children and flowers and given a tour of the hospital. It was lovely to see a dental surgery had been set up with a fully working chair ! There was also a autoclave there to help sterilise instruments. An early and quick start with the assistance of the hospital staff the team first gave every child tooth brushing instruction, diet advice, a tooth brush , tooth paste , and simple oral health education leaflet in urdu. Then all patients were screened for dental disease taking into consideration pain,infection.

There were two treatment rooms where dental extractions, restorations and periodontal treatment were carried out. The day ended at approximate 7pm with a scrumptious well deserved meal after. Thank you to all who have helped and been involved.