World Dental Development Fund

World Dental Development Fund - 10 year anniversary (1998-2008) Leaflet (.PDF, 1.38Mb)

The FDI addresses the earthquake and tsunami disaster

The devastating tsunami has touched the hearts of millions of people worldwide, also colleagues in the dental family. The FDI World Dental Federation, through its World Dental Development Fund (WDDF), is offering aid to the Southeast Asian countries affected by the disaster and its aftermath. Monetary support for the tsunami victims and member organisations can be channelled through the WDDF. Any programme applications related to the disaster will also receive full priority.

Read the full text of the press release

Effective infection control is of high priority in emergency and disaster situations.

The Organisation for Safety and Asepsis Procedures in Dentistry (OSAP) has developed a practical guide for infection control in humanitarian missions. The document can be downloaded free of charge.

Click here to download the document (pdf: 896kb)

Read more about OSAP and the guide for Safety and Infection Control and for Oral Healthcare Missions at http://www.osap.org/resources/humanaid/index.htm

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Current Projects

Click on the following projects for more information:

• Improving oral health of handicapped children in Senegal
• Capacity building in Africa
• Integrating oral health in Primary Health Care in northern Pakistan
• Smiling Schools of Namibia
• Oral health in rural India
• Oral health survey in Rwanda
• Oral Cancer Awareness for dentists in Latin America
• HIV/AIDS awareness training for dentists in Latin America
• Community oral health in Lomé, Togo

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Application

The World Dental Development Fund takes applications on a continuous basis. Applications are reviewed by the World Dental Development Committee. Before applying for a grant it is advised to contact the FDI Head Office and inquire informally whether the objectives of your project proposal are in line with the objectives of the Fund.

It is also advised to read the "guidelines for the planning and implementation of demonstration projects" that have been developed and approved by the World Dental Development and Health Promotion Committee of the FDI.
Download the pdf-file of the guidelines in English (56k)

Download the application form as well as the application pack in PDF format. To view it you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Application Information Package - does not include application forms (100K)

English Français Español

Application Form (72K)

English Français Español

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Improving oral health of handicapped children in Senegal

Oral health needs of handicapped children will be at focus in a new project cooperation with the Senegal Dental Association approved in August 2005. The World Dental Development Fund will finance the activities in several orphanages and schools in Senegal. Physically and mentally challenged children suffer from a significantly higher burden or oral diseases while having at the same time a more difficult access to oral health care. The project tries to bridge this gap by providing free dental treatment and preventive education to teachers and nurses. Colgate Senegal will also contribute to the project.

Capacity building in Africa

The World Dental Development Fund supports capacity building activities in dental public health in five West-African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger and Togo). Training courses for oral health managers in dental public health will be developed in close co-operation with a network of stakeholders including the WHO, National governments, dental associations, the French NGO Aide Odontologique Internationale (AOI) as well as with local and international universities. This initiative is a direct result of the Planning Conference for Oral Health in the African Region that was organised by the FDI and WHO in April 2004 in Nairobi, Kenya. After meetings in Nairobi and at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva a further co-ordination meeting is planned early in 2006 in Benin. It is hoped that first training modules become operational by the end of 2006.”

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Integrating oral health in Primary Health Care in northern Pakistan

This project approved by the World Dental Development and Health Promotion Committee in September 2004 aims at integrating basic oral care in existing primary health care structures in a rural province of northern Pakistan. The demonstration project will be co-financed by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation. The responsible project leader is Dr Ayyaz Ali Khan, the Chief Dental Officer of Pakistan.

Smiling Schools of Namibia

The project aims at introducing oral health education in a rural area of Namibia, including education of teachers and provision of simple treatment. Starting in the year 2000 the project seeks to integrate an oral health component into WHO’s Health Promoting Schools Programme (read more about the concept of this WHO initiative. Phases I and II have been successfully completed – read the interim project report published in Developing Dentistry. To view the PDF format you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Smiling schools of namibia (220K)

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Oral health in rural India

The project is based in the region of the town of Chitrakoot, a poor rural area in India. In collaboration with a UK based NGO a dental clinic was provided to an existing hospital belonging to the project. The background and achievements of the project are impressive including social and community development, mico-finance of small enterprises, education and gender issues.
The equipment provided allowed to expand the local healthcare facilities, to offer dental treatment and education in oral health to a community of about 150,000 people. The FDI’s involvement has been successfully completed. You can read the report from Developing Dentistry:

To view the PDF format you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Project Report from Chitrakoot (India) - 20K

English Spanish

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Oral health survey in Rwanda

The Fund approved this project as one the first to give support to a war torn country virtually without any resources or functioning structures. It was agreed to conduct a baseline oral health survey in order to allow further planning and establishment of appropriate services. Due to the expected practically difficulties in conducting an epidemiological survey according to WHO standards, the initial concept was modified later towards a more realistic needs assessment approach.
The survey was successfully terminated in January 2004 and a report with initial results was presented during the Planning Conference for Oral Health in the African Region in Nairobi in April 2004.

Read a report by the FDI Development Manager about a site visit in May 2003. To view the PDF format you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Rwanda Report - 64K

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Computer Equipment to Dental Schools in Africa

This project was carried out in collaboration with Unilever Oral Care Ltd. and the Commonwealth Dental Association. Appropriate computer equipment and software was donated to identified dental schools, national dental associations and individuals in the African region in order to facilitate communication and exchange of ideas and knowledge.
FDI’s involvement has been successfully terminated and a report is available upon request from the FDI Head Office.

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Oral Cancer Awareness for dentists in Latin America &

HIV/AIDS awareness training for dentists in Latin America

Both continuing education programmes were initiated and organised by the Latin American Regional Organisation (FOLA/LARO). The multi-country programmes covered several countries and offered intensive training of the dental team in early recognition of oral cancers and pre-cancers as well as training and raising awareness for oral problems related to HIV/AIDS infection.

Read the report published in Developing Dentistry 2/2003

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Community oral health in Lomé, Togo

This project has been approved in 2002 and has started in 2003 with the implementation of the first phase, consisting in a national oral health awareness campaign and the introduction of a school health programme in Lomé, the capital of Togo. This programme includes education of children, teachers and parents as well as examination and treatment. A fluoridation scheme will be introduced at the next stage of the project.

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