During a 3 day Oral Health Outreach Programme at Mthatha Regional Hospital, from 24–26 October, Operation Smile, in partnership with the Eastern Cape and National Departments of Health, provided essential dental care to 993 people.
Building on the success of a dental outreach pilot conducted in the Eastern Cape in 2024, this year’s programme expanded significantly – in both scale and impact.
We had nine mobile dental trucks and a team of over 60 volunteer government dental professionals from around the country. Together, they created one of the largest and most successful oral health outreach efforts the province has ever seen.
Dental outreach impact
Despite cold and rainy weather, the turnout far exceeded expectations. In total, the team performed 403 extractions, 303 fluoride applications, 427 scale and polishes and 184 restorations. They also took 73 impressions for dentures.
Part of the programme included visiting 13 local schools to provide oral health education and distribute toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Key donors Wright Millners, VanderWalt Dental Practice, Folivex and Tarsal Medical contributed critical supplies of consumables and instruments to make the treatments possible.
National Oral health Conference
In recognition of the progress achieved through this partnership, the National Department of Health’s Oral Health Directorate chose to host its annual national oral health conference in Mthatha over the same weekend.
National and provincial oral health leaders were able to witness the programme in action, engage directly with Operation Smile’s clinical teams, and explore opportunities for future collaboration. It’s encouraging to see what’s possible when government and non-profit sectors unite to address South Africa’s oral health needs.
Although unable to attend the programme in person, Minister Dr. Pakishe Aaron Motsoaledi, who leads the National Department of Health, acknowledged the impact of our work.
“We are deeply grateful to Operation Smile South Africa and all partners who make this possible,” he said. The importance of oral health has been recognised through the World Health Organisation’s Global Strategy on Oral Health, which emphasises governance, health promotion and prevention, oral health information systems and research.”