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Oral Health Care Project in the Works for Rwanda
California Dental Association - November, 2009
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A dentist in Arizona is looking for adventurous and caring dental professionals for an outreach project in Rwanda. Having completed a feasibility study on a successful model in Kenya, Richard T. Reckmeyer, DDS, MBA, would like to take the project west to help meet the demand for oral health care in Rwanda.

Reckmeyer met with Kigali Health Institute faculty, students and administrators. (The school is Rwanda’s only dental facility.) He also met with other governmental officials and administrators of nearly a dozen community health centers in Musanze District as part of his feasibility study. The results were eye-opening. Following the 1994 genocide, in which 1 million people were killed in 100 days, oral health care is in high demand but scarce.

Some of the statistics, according to a press release:

• The ratio of oral health care providers to the total population of Rwanda is 155/10.5 million.

• Simple extractions are the second most common service (second to lower respiratory disease) in the community health centers in Gakenke District, Northern Province, Rwanda.

• For 987 patients, 95.5 percent of the oral health care needs in Nyabihu District, Northern Province, Rwanda, are simple extractions and basic cleanings.

Dental professionals and students interested in a life-changing experience can contact Richard T. Reckmeyer, DDS, MBA, by clicking here.