Community Dental Clinics
Nepal
The Challenge
Almost all Nepalese live in villages or in small market centers. The government of Nepal has established a network of small clinics to provide basic healthcare to the population. Dental care is generally not part of the services provided by these clinics. However, there is an obvious need for dental services in these remote and sometimes isolated villages.
The Innovation
Jevaia Foundation has developed three critical components to establish sustainable, community-based dental care in rural Nepal. Their model consists of (1) identifying a space to deliver dental services, (2) installation of basic dental equipment and supplies and (3) engaging Primary Oral Health Providers (POHP). Using this model, government-run healthcare clinics are asked to dedicate a single room to install a dental operatory, donors provide the funding to purchase basic dental equipment and supplies, and a process is set up to train local staff as POHP and educators. In each village, a weekly dental clinic is set in the Government Health Post staffed by a local POHP. The dental clinic follows the protocol called Basic Package of Oral Care (BPOC) as defined by the World Health Organization. Jevaia uses a human rights approach consisting of four core activities: a Weekly Clinic, School seminars, School Smiles, and Community Outreach. These activities are all implemented by the POHP alongside a clinical assistant and social mobilizer in the community.
Sumar Lakhani Foundation funded the establishment of two such dental clinics. One is located in the village of Deurali. The second is in the village of Pipaltari. Basic dental care will be delivered weekly and integrated with other primary health care services to the villagers. With the assistance of the school teachers, the primary oral care provider will also lead the school brushing programs, conduct school-based oral health education and, provide preventive care.
Long Term Impact
The trained dental nurse will become an integral part and a staff member of the Nepalese Government health care network. The residents of Deurali and Pipaltari will now have access to dental care when they visit the local health care clinic. School children will have regular dental education and access to basic dental care. In addition to fillings and simple extractions, the dental clinic provides Augmented BPOC that will add a preventive application of fluoride and silver diamine fluoride (SDF) to arrest the progression of any existing cavities before the decay reaches the nerve and causes pain.
