You have full access to this article via your institution. Download PDF Dental nurse CLAIRE KINGSNORTH shares her experience of volunteering with Dentaid in Morocco. Dentaid is a charity

that provides dental care and oral health advice for people in need in the UK. They also help to improve the oral health of people in several countries abroad that often do not have access

to a dentist or access to oral hygiene products. I signed up to volunteer with Dentaid for their 2020 trip, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic the trip was postponed until 2023. Our trip

was to Chefchaouen - the city known as the 'Blue Pearl' - in Morocco in May 2023 and I would highly recommend this experience. The trip was for eight nights and we visited ten

overseas trips are no exception and to take part I had to raise funds to help cover the cost of the trip. For my fundraising I received part sponsorship from the British Association of

Dental Nurses (BADN) which I am grateful for. I also set up an online fundraising page where I asked friends and family to sponsor me and I paid some of the cost myself. > We had to learn

 to adapt; we used classroom chairs instead of dental > chairs, bins as spittoons and empty water bottles as sharps bins. SELECTION AND TRAINING After I applied for a place on the trip,

Dentaid selected a team of dental nurses, dentists and a dental therapist to provide the care they required and a few months before we flew out to Morocco, we attended a training day at

Dentaid HQ in Southampton. The aim of the day was to learn about what to expect on the trip and to give us an opportunity to meet each other. We also collected PPE, such as gloves and masks,

that we had to pack into our luggage. When we arrived in Morocco, we had another training day to prepare us for the week ahead. Working in schools in Morocco is completely different to

working in a dental surgery at home. We had to learn to adapt; we used classroom chairs instead of dental chairs, bins as spittoons and empty water bottles as sharps bins. PACKING We all

packed as lightly as we could so that we could fill our suitcases with the dental supplies and PPE we had been given to take. We were encouraged to get hold of as many toothbrushes and

toothpaste samples as we could and fill every bit of suitcase space with them! We each had to bring a bright head torch and spare batteries as there is no surgery light and we had to

improvise. ACCOMMODATION We stayed in twin rooms in a lovely hostel. I got on very well with my dental nurse roommate and we worked together throughout the week. We were provided with huge

buffet breakfasts each morning. The square-shaped Moroccan pancakes (_msemen_) were my favourite! They were so good I have found a recipe for them and will be making them at home. TYPICAL

DAY The eight-night trip was broken down into two travel days, one training day, five working days and a rest day. Each working day we set up at a different base school, which was usually a

high school. We set up a main treatment room and a decontamination room. The main treatment room comprised of separate dentist stations and a main table for clean instruments and supplies.

We ensured all dentist stations were well stocked throughout the day with gauze, PPE, tissues etc. After setting up, a group of us would start triaging children one class at a time. Children

in pain were invited to come to our treatment room for further examination by a dentist and have extractions if necessary. We also provided all children with fluoride varnish application

and oral health education along with free toothbrushes and toothpaste. As well as the set up at the base school, a small team of us would go to a local primary school to triage children and

invite those in pain to the base school for treatment to alleviate the dental pain. PATIENTS The aim of the trip was to provide dental treatment to the schoolchildren. A few teachers sat in

the chair too and one parent was also treated as her daughter told the dentist about her mother and the years of pain she had suffered. She had visited a dentist many times after an

extraction four years previously, complaining she was still getting pain and kept being dismissed and sent away with painkillers. After one of the dentists on our team examined her, it was

discovered that the extraction had failed with a root left behind, causing her the pain. Our team removed the root and she was so relieved to no longer be in pain. Most of the children had

heavily decayed teeth and many were in a lot of pain. Unfortunately, they have easy access to cheap sugary treats, whereas healthier options such as fruit are expensive in comparison. Access

to dental treatment is limited due to the low number of affordable dentists and the cost of travel to get to them. A lot of the children did not even own a toothbrush. Many of the children

were easy to treat and very co-operative as they were so eager for the opportunity of having dental treatment. DECONTAMINATION All dental nurses were responsible for making sure instruments

were decontaminated quickly so there was no shortage of instruments. There were limited supplies, so we had to be on the ball! Decontamination was basic, but the best that could be done in

the remote environment. Instruments were scrubbed in a washing up bowl with washing up liquid, inspected, rinsed and sterilised for at least 25 minutes in a pressure cooker as there was no

access to an autoclave. SUPPORT We all rotated stations and helped any dentist that needed assistance by bringing them instruments, supporting and reassuring children during their

extractions and holding a head torch as a dental light. We learned to speak basic Arabic and universal words eg _aji_ (come), _hrak_ (pain), _bezak_ (spit), bravo (well done), _safi_

(it's okay/calm down) to communicate with the children. We also gave post-operative aftercare advice to the children with the help of translators. Throughout the day we were encouraged

to look after each other, make sure we took regular breaks and drink plenty of water as it was easy to forget during the busy day. At the end of each day we had a debrief to discuss any

issues. FOOD On working days the teachers and local communities were so grateful of our visit and always provided us with a big feast for lunch as a thank you. Many of the schools provided

us with Moroccan mint tea and cakes/pastries at the end of each day. This was followed by speeches from the principal and school governors thanking us for our hard work. DAYS OFF It was not

all hard work; we had a rest day and some evening time too. During our free time we explored the medina (old town) and walked to a couple of viewpoints on the Rif mountains. There was also

time for souvenir shopping for bargains to bring back home! OVERALL Our team saw 949 patients in total. One thousand and forty-eight teeth were extracted. Six hundred and eighty children had

fluoride varnish application and over 3,000 toothbrushes were handed out along with oral health education. It feels amazing to have helped with the treatment of children to relieve them of

long-lasting pain. On the working days we were very busy and did our best to provide treatment to those in need. The children and schools were so grateful for the treatment and this really

left its mark on me. I was reminded just how lucky we are in the UK to have better oral health education and better access to dental treatment. > The children and schools were so grateful

 for the treatment and this > really left its mark on me. I returned home with great memories, we helped a lot of children, I met amazing people and had an experience I'll never

forget. The Morocco May 2023 team still keeps in touch and a few of us are even planning to return. There are lots of opportunities to give back to the community, whether that's doing

something local to you or volunteering abroad with Dentaid. To find out more visit www.dentaid.org. AUTHOR INFORMATION Claire has been a dental nurse for nearly 20 years and is Secretary for

the Orthodontic National Group (ONG). AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Secretary, Orthodontic National Group, Dental Nurse, England, UK Claire Kingsnorth Authors * Claire

Kingsnorth View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE

Kingsnorth, C. 'I returned home with great memories'. _BDJ Team_ 10, 20–22 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41407-023-1988-x Download citation * Published: 20 October 2023 * Issue

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