A new dental prosthetics lab for Vanuatu
A modified shipping co
ntainer has been converted into a modern Dental Prosthetics Laboratory by Rotarians in Ballarat and shipped to Port Vila in April 2016.
ntainer has been converted into a modern Dental Prosthetics Laboratory by Rotarians in Ballarat and shipped to Port Vila in April 2016.The container was fully stocked with new equipment and supplies, and is now permanently sited next to a dental clinic where it will be used to provide a charitable removable denture service for disadvantaged edentulous Ni-Van people.
The new laboratory, as it is adjacent to the PCV eye clinic which makes spectacles, will also be useful for optical work!
A new dental prosthetics lab. for Vanuatu A modified shipping container has been converted into a modern Dental Prosthetics Laboratory by Rotarians in Ballarat and shipped to Port Vila In April 2016. It is fully stocked with new equipment and supplies. Thanks to RC Ballarat South for the use of their shed and facilities to fabricate the unit
It is now permanently sited next to a dental clinic where it will be used to provide a charitable removable denture service for disadvantaged edentulous Ni-Van people
The Container will also be useful for optical work with the adjacent PCV eye clinic which makes spectacles
It will be administered through the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu, Rotary and Novodental.
A dedication ceremony was conducted an the facility, and the container blessed by the PCV in Port Vila on April 22nd. with the RAWCS team (and Dental Prosthetist Mr Ryan Davies), press and Rotarians in attendance
This is a new and greatly needed facility as no similar facility exists in Vanuatu and it is already generating much interest from the community.
The Lab. will be located alongside the existing PCV dental clinic and share services.
A Ni-Van technician will be trained to permanently work in the Lab. but until this takes place it will be run by volunteer Prosthetists and a local dentist.
Cyclone Winston caused major disruptions throughout the South Pacific Isla
nds so permanent service connections were not able to be put in place before the team left. However the Lab. has since been moved to its permanent site with all services now connected adjacent to the existing PCV dental clinic.
nds so permanent service connections were not able to be put in place before the team left. However the Lab. has since been moved to its permanent site with all services now connected adjacent to the existing PCV dental clinic.A look to the future
Professional volunteers in both dental prosthetics and in clinical dentistry are still needed to work in both the Rotary Van and the Rotary Lab. and steps were taken on this visit to encourage and facilitate this to happen in the future. Already three Dental Prosthetists have volunteered to work in the Lab.
Clinical dentistry.
Fillings and extractions were done by several of the dentists in the team, including Dr.Matthew Youseff, David Goldsmith and Rami Kaur with dental assisting by Hannah Watson, in both the PCV dental clinic and the mobile Rotary Dental Van in Port Vila.
Our Rotary Dental Van commissioned in 2013 is being used and in good working order thanks to NovoDental and PCV and another Ballarat dental team will visit in October 2016
The Lab. is now fixed in a safe position adjacent to a 2 chair dental clinic, an optical clinic and the Presbyterian Church central office.
Grassroots Vanuatu Rotarian Richard Tatwin and PCV are very excited about this new addition to their services. Plans are now in hand to encourage volunteer dental Prosthetists to work in the Lab. and to train a local indigenous Prosthetist. The Lab. is now in very good hands and this new facility will be able offer a greatly needed free or low cost service to Ni-Van people thanks to Rotary.
Many thanks to all the Rotarians and volunteers whose expertise and countless hours of work made this project possible - particularly Daryl Elford, Paul Trevenen and Peter Copp, and PP Bill Davies. Also to Richard Tatwin and PCV in Vanuatu for organising the school visits and to Colgate Fiji for supplying every child with a toothbrush and toothpaste kit.
And finally to Jamie Brown and the cast of Ratbag and Scatterbrain whose novel approach to health education could well have a lasting positive impact on the oral health of many children in Vanuatu ..........and was a lot of fun!
David Goldsmith
Rotary Club of Ballarat West D9780