Guinea
Gamal Dental School, Conakry
Program focus: Peer-to-peer training
Most of the population of West Africa lacks access to dental care. Despite the heavy burden of oral health problems, there are inadequate resources and not enough dental professionals and specialists to serve the population. Dental education is limited by the number of training institutions for dental professionals in sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, mortality rates from oral cancer in West Africa are among the highest globally (West African College of Surgeons).
Through WTI's telehealth training program, dental students in Guinea are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to be qualified dentists. A volunteer dental specialist uses the telehealth device to guide the students through complex training and dental procedures.
The technology incorporates an intra-oral peripheral camera so that the remote specialist can see inside patients' mouths in Guinea while viewing and interacting with the students. The dental graduates help teach other dental students and provide oral care to their respective communities in Western Africa.