Oral Healthcare in Tanga

The purpose of our visit to Tanga was to work alongside the dental therapists during their pediatric oral health outreach efforts. There is a school for dental therapy located in Tanga, one of two in Tanzania (the other is located in Mbeya). Sara introduced us to Dr. Komba, a vivacious, full of life, mother of 4 kids who taught oral surgery and pediatric dentistry. We also met Dr. Betson, the principle of the dental school whose aura exuded a calm presence and a love of teaching.

At the dental clinic

Central sterilization

Sara showed us around a tour of the dental school.

After a presentation in pediatric dentistry with the final (3rd year) students,  we enjoyed a traditional Tanzanian breakfast: coffee with taro, bread pastries, pakoda and a boiled egg. We then made our way to a primary school, where Sara and the dental therapy students gave oral health education. The children were extremely well-behaved and very engaged. While one student recorded our findings,  the other dental therapy students completed dental screenings. Letters were composed to send to the parents of the students, explaining what treatment the children would need and asking for their consent. The students would later be transported to the dental therapy school that Friday and receive all the treatment they needed free of charge. Sara was telling us that she would be meeting with government officials to discuss the findings of the outreach program and the impact that the efforts had. The oral healthcare outreach is sponsored by Miracle Corners of the World, a non-profit organization which includes oral healthcare as one of their core principles.

Sara and me at the school where out outreach was conducted.

After outreach, we had a traditional Tanzanian lunch back at the school (I gobbled down some watermelon, cabbage and this amazingly spicy red pepper sauce). Along with the dental students, Dr. Betson led a discussion on the complications of extractions. It was interesting to hear the dental therapists perspectives on how they would manage broken root tips or sinus perforations, even though the principles were very similar.

Sara then took us on a tour of TICC, a Norwegian co-operative and educational society. They bring healthcare students from all over the world (but mostly Norway) to Tanzania and allow them to immerse themselves in the global health opportunities Tanzania has to offer. We actually met Mama Ruthie, the Norwegian director, on our plain ride over to Tanga. She’s this BA Norwegian women who rocks skinny jeans and oversized sunglasses and is brimming with life and confidence. Coincidentally, she was being visited by the Commissioner of Tanga and the Secretary to the Commissioner (somewhat equivalent to the governor of a state and secretary of state). She was gracious enough to introduce us and the government officials were generous enough to let us take a picture with them.

We later went to the market so Sara could buy some supplies for the outreach for tomorrow. I went in to a fabric store and started chatting with someone who I thought looked Indian in Hindi. She was a third generation Tanzanian with roots from Gujrat, India. She entertained my efforts of speaking in Hindi with her and we ended up having a half hour conversation about the political climate in Tanzania and how she felt as a Tanzanian with an Indian heritage living in the era of President Magfuli, a staunch nationalist. She explained that he treated all citizens with respect, but the president did not appreciate the native need for dependence on foreigners who had no intention of becoming permanent residents. She also felt that Magfuli’s anti-corruption efforts were necessary, even though one of the side-effects is  increasing unemployment. After saying goodbye, she told me I was always welcome to try biryani with her family if I had time during my stay and I dualy told her she has a friend in Chicago if she ever wanted to visit. These interactions are what makes me love going to different places and realizing human wants and needs are universal.