GLOBAL BRIGADES UNITED KINGDOM

Dental Brigades at Cardiff University

• About
  Global Dental and Medical Brigades in Panama work alongside each other on a 9-day long brigade in under-resourced communities around the country. The brigade incorporates a joint clinic to meet a variety of healthcare needs as well as undertaking an environmental development project at the end of the clinical days. The Dental brigade provides volunteers with the opportunity to make a tangible impact on communities while gaining hands-on experience in the field of international dentistry. Prior to travel, volunteers collect medicines, recruit health professionals and fundraise, while educating themselves about the country they will visit. Once in Panama, the team will visit one partner community to administer a 3-4 day-long clinic and conduct health education workshops. During clinical days, community members are able to consult doctors and dentists, fill any necessary prescriptions, receive necessary dental care, and sit-in on health education lectures. At the end of the medical portion, volunteers then have a chance to build environmental projects to address some of the relevant developmental issues in their community. Environmental developments include greenhouses, community allotments and other projects.