The work involved 

• • Specialist surgery design 
• • Procurement and transportation of 9 A-dec dental chairs, compressor, suction motors and ancillary equipment such as high and low speed handpieces, ultrasonic scalers, curing lights etc. 
• • Fabrication of custom designed dental cabinetry and sinks for 6 surgeries 
• • Painting all rooms and varnishing the bamboo worktops 
• • Connecting the service installations including plumbing, power, water, waste, central suction and oil-free compressed air connections to 7 dental chairs and cabinetry 
• • constructing and equipping a new sterilizing room and providing 3 autoclaves 

The surgeries were fully funded by Rotary, and built by Rotary Australia World Community Service volunteers 

The team consisted of; 

• • Dr David Goldsmith, Dentist, Rotary Club of Ballarat West (Team Leader) 
• • Peter Copp PHF R.C.Ballarat West,+ Mary Copp specialist dental equipment engineers (technical lead) 
• • Merv and Christine Williams from R.C. Mt Martha, 
• • Jack and Marie Knight from R.C. Horsham, 
• • John Macdonald PHF R.C. Ballarat West, 
• • Garry Brooker R.C. Ballarat West 

Handover to Acting Director of Dental Services Dr Ellison Vane and National Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent D John Hue by Dr David Goldsmith on behalf of Rotary 5/11/2019 

 

This new Dental facility heralds a new era for Oral Health in the Solomon Islands. 

• • This more than doubles the public dental facilities in Honiara 
• • Will serve as an education and training centre 
• • Provides surgeries for specialty dental services 
• • A Dental “Home Base” from which Oral Health service provision can be directed to the whole Solomon Islands into the future. 

THE NEED; 

The original dental clinic at the National Referral Hospital closed in 2012 and was not replaced. The Public dental services in Honiara currently consist of just 4 dental chairs at Mataniko HCC Dental Clinic (2 not working), a dental caravan at NRH ,and the Oral Surgery room at NRH, to service Honiara’s public dental service, In addition, many pain patients attend the Mataniko clinic, not just from Honiara, but from other islands and Provinces 

I was informed there are 29 Solomon Island government employed dentists in Honiara, excluding those in the Provinces. Due to a shortage of working facilities, some patients in pain are being turned away. Many dentists are working only part time and in addition inactivity could lead to them losing their skills. 

IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT (RAWCS *29/2018-19) October 22nd. to November 9th. 2019 

We obtained Nine A-dec dental chairs and equipped them with high and low speed handpieces and ultrasonic cleaning devices. They were shipped to Honiara by Rotary and checked in March 2019. One Ex-Army chair was shipped earlier from Rotary in Brisbane and used to initiate the Denture Clinic. 

These American A-dec dental chairs are used throughout the world because they are reliable, easy to repair 

and maintain, and spare parts are available and relatively inexpensive. This was a unique opportunity to obtain 9 similar models which will greatly simplify future repairs and maintenance. Large compressors and suction motors were provided by the Rotary Club of Ballarat West and shipped in 2018 along with other dental equipment 

Surgery Design was done by Peter Copp and Dr. David Goldsmith in conjunction with Acting Dental Director Dr Ellison Vane. Custom-made dental cabinetry flat packs were manufactured to order in China and shipped to the National Referral Hospital in a 40-foot container from Melbourne. The container held both dental and medical supplies, including 27 hospital beds and 25 wheelchairs. 

The medical items were distributed directly to the staff and wards where they were needed by John Macdonald, an intensive care nurse with over 25 years’ experience in Pacific Island hospitals in Tonga and East Timor with St John of God Hospital. John Macdonald was also able to inspect the facilities within the Honiara National Referral Hospital and take back valuable targeted recommendations for future Rotary medical shipments. 

 

Overall technical direction came from specialist dental engineer Peter Copp. Valuable support was given to the team by the hospital carpenter Orban and BioMed Douglas. 

The equipment involved in the project was provided by Rotary or purchased in Honiara – this included power tools, compressors, suction motors, 10 dental chairs, autoclaves, cabinetry including taps, porcelain and stainless sinks, plus slow and high speed handpieces, scalers and curing lights to all the chairs plus a large amount of dental prosthetic (teeth, acrylic etc.) and other dental supplies 

 

The new rooms will be used to provide a range of services by dentists in the following dental specialist areas: 

• • Oral Surgery 
• • Dental Fillings and Root Canal 
• • Dental Prosthetics Clinic and Dental Laboratory (2 rooms)
• • Periodontal (Gums) Care Dental Clinic 
• • Child Dental Care Clinic 
• • School and Community Dental Service 
• • Outpatients dental clinics 

 

A memorandum of Understanding has been established between the MOH and NRH to sustain the facilities We expect the new dental surgeries will be operational and able to treat patients from late November 2019 

 

Dr David Goldsmith BDS, LDSRCS, FICD, FADI 

Rotary Club of Ballarat West 

Team Leader RAWCS Project 29/2018-19.