the dental clinics
The Tanzania mission trip is a collaborative project. This means that we are blessed to partner with the Missionaries of Precious Blood Society in Tanzania. The Missionaries of the Precious Blood Society run the St. Gaspar Hospital in Itigi, Tanzania. In 2022 members of DLF and the Missionaries of the Precious Blood helped establish 2 dental clinics.
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One at the Hospital in Itigi, and a second clinic in the village of Malongwe at the Malongwe dispensary. We may also set up some additional temporary Dental Clinic’s in neighboring villages where the Church has resources. Volunteers will assist in setting up the temporary clinics at the start of the trip and help take them down at the end of the trip.
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Features of the Dental Clinics
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The clinic at the hospital in Itigi has 3 dental chairs and room for 2 mobile units.
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The clinic at the Malongwe Dispensary has 1 chair and room for 2 mobile units, with some medical beds for extractions.
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Very basic suction will be available. It is important to understand that these suction devices are not as strong or as reliable as modern western dental vacuums and compressors.
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Water irrigation will be available only by manual, handheld plastic syringes.
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There will be at least 3 portable dental units to allow for handpiece usage when needed.
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Both clinics have sterilization equipment.
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X-ray equipment.
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Dental lab equipment at the Itigi hospital
Dental treatment provided will consist mainly of extraction, restorative, and pain relief procedures. All necessary extraction and surgical equipment will be available.
work with local schools
If you choose, you may participate in excursions to local schools as part of your mission trip experience. You will teach and demonstrate proper oral hygiene and other personal cleanliness practices. These may include toothbrushing, flossing, handwashing, proper diet, etc. A rewarding and exciting part of these school visits will be to present school children with their own hygiene products, i.e. toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, hand sanitizer, etc. One of the major goals at DLF is to prevent oral disease through proper homecare practices.
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Rules THAT MUST be adhered to when visiting schools
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Stay with the group and do not wander around alone in the schools or on school grounds.
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NEVER be alone with a child at any time, always have a school official or fellow team member with you.
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Show respect to the teachers and wait for their introduction and instructions when in the classroom.
travel & transportation
All volunteers will need to purchase and arrange their flights to and from Tanzania. Please book your airfare as soon as possible. You need to arrive in Dar Es Salaam on the scheduled date before 11:59 pm. Your return flight needs to be on the scheduled departure date anytime after 8pm from Dar Es Salaam.
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Once we arrive in Tanzania, all transportation will be handled by the Missionaries of the Society of the Precious Blood and Dental Legacy Foundation.
Travel to and from the Safari will also be arranged and included with the costs for the program.
Accommodations
Accommodations will be provided by the Missionaries of The Precious Blood Society. Most of your stay will be in housing onsite at the Hospital in Itigi. The property is a safe, gated facility. Each room can house up to two team members. Each room comes with either a queen bed or two twin beds and its own bathroom with shower and hot water. WIFI is available throughout the property. Although our accommodations will be safe, it is NOT recommended for westerners to leave the facility without a local Tanzanian guide, especially at night. You can view more about the Hospital by visiting their website: https://stgasparhospital.org/?lang=en
*Dental Legacy Foundation is no way affiliated with the Missionaries of the Precious Blood Society but has partnered with the local congregation to carry out this humanitarian project.
meals
St. Gaspar will provide three meals per day, safe water and coke. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be prepared and available at volunteer sites. We strongly suggest that you bring an ample number of snacks from Home (Protein/granola bars, trail-mix, jerky, dried fruit, candy, etc.) Although dietary needs can be shared, accommodations cannot always be guaranteed for preferences, allergies, and other needs. The options for purchasing or shopping for food or snacks are extremely limited.
Electricity & voltage
In Tanzania, the majority power outlets are British 3-pin rectangular blade plugs (Type G). European two-round-pin style sockets are a distant second. The standard electrical outlet voltage in Tanzania is
220-240 volts, while the standard voltage in the US is 110-120 volts. Before plugging any device into a Tanzanian outlet, ensure that it can handle the higher voltage range of 220-240 volts. If not, you will
need a converter/transformer to step down the voltage. To be on the safe side, it's recommended to bring a voltage/power adapter with you for your personal electronic devices to ensure they function
properly and safely during your stay.
