The Hope Foundation’s (HOPE) Mobile Dental Clinic, sponsored by Hope Hospital, has been providing free and accessible oral healthcare services to vulnerable populations in Kolkata since its launch in 2023. This initiative is making a positive impact on the underserved communities, particularly street-connected children.
The project’s main objective is to prevent oral health issues and develop a sustainable model for delivering dental care at the district level in West Bengal. It aims to bridge the gap in dental care access between urban and rural areas by focusing on street dwellers, slum communities, and remote regions of Kolkata where organized dental services are scarce.
Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, the mobile clinic offers essential treatments, including dental check-ups, scaling, extractions, and fillings, to around 10,000 children and adults annually. This initiative is crucial because of the following reasons:
– India only has 1.5 to 2.3 dentists per 10,000 people, leaving many communities without proper oral healthcare.
– Poor oral health is linked to higher rates of missed school activities among children, affecting their education and future opportunities.
– The country’s oral healthcare system fails to provide adequate services to rural and economically disadvantaged communities.
By implementing a sustainable model for mobile dental care at the district level, HOPE is improving oral health outcomes for street children, slum dwellers, and rural populations in Kolkata. This initiative is breaking down financial and geographical barriers, ensuring that everyone has access to essential dental care.
At a cost of just £4 per person, the project provides vital dental care to 7,000 patients annually. However, continuous support is crucial to maintain this service. The foundation welcomes donations to ensure that this life-changing care reaches those who need it most. Those interested in donating can visit https://www.thehopefoundation.org.uk/donate/.
ENDS
Notes to the editor:
Attached are photos of the Mobile Dental Clinic. The Hope Foundation (HOPE) was established in Ireland in 1999 by Maureen Forrest. The charity’s mission is to restore basic human rights to children and families living on the streets and in the slums of Kolkata, India. Currently, the organization runs 57 projects in areas such as healthcare, education, vocational training, and child protection. In 2007, the UK branch of HOPE was founded.
Since its inception, HOPE has positively impacted the lives of 3 million people and has enabled 97,000 children to access education. For more information, please visit www.thehopefoundation.org.uk. Follow HOPE UK on Facebook @TheHopeFoundationUK, Instagram @the_hope_foundation_uk, and LinkedIn @the-hope-foundation. For fundraising-related inquiries, please contact Juliette Whittaker, Head of Fundraising (HOPE UK), at juliette@thehopefoundation.org.uk. For media-related inquiries, please contact Debbie Jacobs, Communications & Marketing Manager (HOPE UK), at debbie@thehopefoundation.org.uk.
This article was distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/.