A dental nurse from Southam is travelling to Cambodia to deliver life-changing dental care for people who have no other access to treatment.

Shannon Wilkes, who works at Euston Place Dental Practice in Leamington Spa, is volunteering with Dentaid and will be working alongside local dental professionals to help them reach more people in poor and remote communities.

The team will visit schools, orphanages, prisons and rural villages to deliver pain-relieving dental treatment and oral health programmes. Over the two-week trip in March, the team will treat hundreds of people suffering from untreated toothache.

Dentaid supports overseas dental professionals all year round by funding outreach programmes and providing portable equipment that can be used to deliver care without access to running water or electricity. The charity’s volunteering teams work alongside them, sharing expertise and setting up clinics in communities that would otherwise have to travel many miles to visit the dentist.

Jill Harding, Dentaid’s communications director, said, “The World Health Organization states that oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people and untreated dental caries is the most common health condition globally. We are delighted to have Shannon joining our team in Cambodia and they will help many people out of dental pain. Equally importantly, they will be teaching the importance of oral health and looking after your teeth in the hope of preventing more people from suffering toothache in the future.”

Shannon said, “I love being a dental nurse, meeting new people every day and learning new skills. I jumped at the opportunity to volunteer with Dentaid to help those in need and contribute to making a difference. I am most looking forward to experiencing Cambodian culture, meeting local people and educating them about their teeth.’’

To fund her volunteering trip, Shannon must fundraise £2450. To do this, Shannon has set up a fundraising page where supporters can donate - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/shannon-wilkes

Shannon added ‘’Any donations, no matter how small, will really help make a difference. Thank you!’’

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