Orkney is doing its bit to improve the dental health of people in Nepal and Cambodia with a donation of vital equipment.
The islands’ health board has sent the kit through the charity Dentaid after dentists from Orkney spent time volunteering the countries.
The kit is made up of hand instruments including mirrors, probes, small drill bits and tools for carrying out fillings.
The equipment was initially donated to NHS Orkney when the health board’s dental service was treating a much higher number of patients than it currently is.
Clinical dental director, Jay Wragg, said “It wasn’t brought into service with the public dental service, even when we were at our height.
“Now, due to the strength of the independent dental sector in Orkney, it seems right to be passing what we can to Dentaid.
“We’ve been working closely with Dentaid over the past year and it seemed a great idea if we could work with them to ensure this equipment – which is still in good working order – is put to good use.”
Stuart Little, a former senior dental officer, who has now retired from NHS Orkney, has maintained close links with Dentaid following his spell volunteering in Nepal.
He said: “Having worked with Dentaid supported projects in Belarus and Nepal I know just how grateful Dentaid and those dentists that eventually get these instruments will be.
“Many people in developing countries have little or no access to quality dental treatment and basic instruments such as these are exactly what are needed for pain and infection relief.”
The equipment will be transferred from Orkney to Aberdeen free of charge by Northlink Ferries.
It will then be transferred to Dentaid via the Aberdeen Lion’s Club volunteer group.