Do you dream of traveling internationally to help children around the world live happier, healthier lives? You can make this dream a reality by volunteering with Global Dental Relief! The following fundraising tips are ways to help fund your dream of volunteering abroad.

Write a Fundraising Letter
A letter writing campaign is one of the simplest and most effective fundraising methods. Compose a letter to send to your friends, family and colleagues. Explain why you are fundraising and how their contribution will help children across the globe receive free dental care. Ask for a specific amount of money and be honest about the total amount needed to cover the cost for you to volunteer.

Partner with Local Businesses
Don’t be afraid to use your connections to reach out to business owners in your community.  If you don’t know the owners, send a copy of your fundraising letter and follow-up with a phone call. Consider your connections and be bold with your ask!

Contact Clubs and Local Organizations
Look for clubs in or around your community that would be willing to donate to your cause. Start by contacting clubs and requesting to have 15-20 minutes during their next chapter meeting to explain your cause. Be specific about your money request and be clear about how it will be used during your volunteer trip with GDR. Consider your connections! Who do you know that may be a member of a local club or organization?

Social Media
Social media may be the best way to promote awareness and raise funds for your volunteer project. Social media allows you to immediately connect with peers, colleagues, and friends. Feel free to include GDR’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to help people learn more about the difference they will be helping you make in the lives of children overseas. You can also use social media to get the word out about online fundraising campaigns, such as GoFundMe.

Host a Party
Host a party! Invite everyone you know to join you and learn about your trip. Charge a donation at the door and offer light appetizers and simple beverages. Give a short slide show or talk about the work you will be doing with GDR. It’s a fun evening and a great way to raise money for your volunteer experience.

Most importantly, don’t be discouraged by someone’s “no,” instead be encouraged to work hard and stay motivated!

Global Dental Relief brings people from all over the world together for one cause: to make a difference in the life of a child. It’s a truly unique experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life. We invite you to learn more about how to fundraise effectively by contacting our office at volunter@globaldentalrelief.org or 303.858.8857 today.

The post The How-To of Fundraising for a Global Dental Relief Trip first appeared on Global Dental Relief.

Global Dental Relief (GDR) is on a mission to provide dental care for those who need it most –children. Childhood is a time to learn, grow, and develop habits that will shape adult life; children who have access to quality dental care develop positive oral health habits that carry over into adulthood.

GDR focuses on dental care for children because:

1. Limited access to care

In many parts of the world, dentists are few and the costs of care often reach beyond the family’s financial abilities. Most children do not visit a dentist regularly, or even at all. For many GDR patients, it is the first time they have access to proper dental care and oral health education.

2. A healthy mouth leads to a healthy life

A child’s smile shares a close association with many other important functions in their body, and oral issues can deeply impact their quality of life. For example, if a child develops a minor cavity but is unable to visit a dentist, the cavity can grow to cause chronic pain which makes eating, sleeping concentrating in school and even speaking uncomfortable. Over time, a child may experience tooth loss and decreased self-esteem. GDR returns every two years to the communities they serve to ensure that children can receive dental care before dental issues inhibit their lives.

3. Educating smiles for a better future

Oral health education and proper dental treatment benefit a child for a lifetime. Dental exams, routine cleanings, fluoride treatments, and restorative dental treatment help provide long-lasting benefits for a child’s oral health. GDR brings dentists, hygienists and general volunteers together to positively impact the life of a child by providing the resources they need for lifelong dental health.

If you are interested in learning more about the mission of Global Dental Relief or would like to join us on one of our upcoming adventures, please feel free to contact us at volunteer@globaldentalrelief.org or 303.858.8857 today!

The post Why Dental Care for Kids? first appeared on Global Dental Relief.

In February, BP Dental employees Michael Luna and Jake Snell traveled to Cambodia to share their skills and big hearts helping children. For two weeks, they worked in a Global Dental Relief (GDR) clinic, providing free dental care to underprivileged children in Siem Reap.

These unlikely volunteers found GDR thanks to a very generous offer from BP Dental to donate their web design and digital marketing services. BP Dental is based in Utah and works with hundreds of dental offices around the US, managing their websites and media outreach.

Michael Luna and Jake Snell enjoying a tooth-brushing lesson with the kids.

For both Michael and Jake, this was their first experience traveling to a developing country. Their trip is a perfect example of the vital role non-dental volunteers fill in a dental clinic and illustrates the critical need GDR has to recruit non-dental volunteers to work in clinics around the world.

Despite being out of their comfort zone, both young men adjusted well and demonstrated great work ethic in the clinic. “Working with GDR has been amazing,” commented Jake. “I love seeing the kids come in smiling and the feeling that I get from serving them. It is very humbling to come to another country for the first time and see how much I take for granted. These kids are happy even though they have much less than we do.”

Michael and Jake assisted chairside in hygiene, intake, and treatment. Each day was demanding as they worked in the hot climate under field conditions with portable units and field lighting. It had been a wonderful two weeks; a culmination of special interactions and small gestures between children and volunteers bridging generations and cultures. As they departed the village, Mike and Jake knew these sweet Cambodian children would receive ongoing care; another team would return in two years’ time.

Volunteering time overseas is not all BP Dental has offered GDR over the last year. BP Dental has been a generous partner. Their staff has worked diligently to help GDR build a new, user-friendly website. The blog team has written and published blogs, and their media team has created marketing tools which many of you have seen on the GDR website and Facebook page.

With the efforts and enthusiasm of BP Dental, Global Dental Relief has been able to reach a new audience of volunteers; volunteers with an enthusiasm and zeal for making a difference in the life a child.

Global Dental Relief extends the utmost of thanks to BP Dental, their team, and all their hard work in the ongoing partnership to help bring free dental care to children overseas.

The post BP Dental Partners with Global Dental Relief first appeared on Global Dental Relief.

Each project offers a unique experience of volunteering in a dental clinic, followed by sightseeing. Volunteers return from a GDR clinic with a full heart, after seeing firsthand the impact dental care has on a child’s health and well-being.

After a week of working in the dental clinic, volunteers have the chance to explore popular and often historic sites in the country they are visiting. In Cambodia, volunteers enjoy a beautiful floating village tour and visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Angkor Wat, in addition to other ancient temples. In Antigua, Guatemala volunteers spend a weekend at Lake Atitlan after working in Ciudad Vieja for the week. For more information about, you can find the Cambodia and Antigua clinic itineraries by following this link.

GDR clinics attract volunteers from many different professions and backgrounds. Our general volunteers – those without a background in dentistry – may be teachers, attorneys, students, nurses – basically, anyone with a desire to help children is needed in the clinic. Volunteers receive a full project briefing on site, which includes being trained on their specific clinic job. Regardless of your background, you will be an asset to any GDR team while working in the clinic.

Below is a preview of our upcoming 2018 clinics with current volunteer openings:

• Siem Reap, Cambodia February 5th-17th
  • General volunteers
  • Dental Volunteer Openings
• Antigua, Guatemala March 2nd-11th
  • General Volunteers
• Antigua, Guatemala March 9th-18th
  • Dental Volunteer Openings

What are you waiting for? Join us today and help children around the world live happier healthier lives!

If you are considering joining us at one of these clinics, you can begin your online volunteer application here. Our full 2018 Project Schedule can also be found on our website. Our 2019 Project schedule will be published in late December.

Please feel free to contact us at volunteer@globaldentalrelief.org or call us at 303-858-8857 with any questions you have about volunteering overseas.

The post Volunteer with Global Dental Relief in 2018 and See the World as You’ve Never Seen it Before! first appeared on Global Dental Relief.

Here are five ways to support GDR’s work without ever boarding a plane:

1.) Our clinics are held afloat by every single donation offered to our organization. In fact, every $20 donated provides one child the first dental care of their lives. GDR is able to leverage every dollar donated to maximize the amount of care we can provide in the field. Administration costs are less than 10% of our budget and our dedicated volunteers donate their time and talent, paying their own way to help kids in need. This means your donation goes directly to providing dental care to children.

2.) Do you have friends or family who are service-loving dental professionals or who would love our cause? You can shop at our Global Dental Relief store to find meaningful gifts for your loved ones. Whether it be a gift card, holiday card packs, a travel bag or a CD of lovely classical compositions, it will not only brighten the lives of those you care about, but every purchase helps children in need.

3.) If you are seeking to make an even greater difference in the lives of children around the world, you can become a sponsor. Our sponsors help us equip and operate clinics for thousands of children every year. You can sponsor dental care for all the children in a single school, in a clinic, in an entire country or even thousands of children in all five countries.

4.) At the end of our lives, we would all like to know that we have made an impact in the world. One way to do this is to leave what is called a charitable bequest in your will. To find out more, take a look at our Become a Legacy Partner webpage.

5.) And finally, if you happen to be a dental supplier, we are always in need of donated dental supplies to aid our clinics, whether it be toothbrushes, dental instruments, latex gloves, fluoride varnish, etc. For a full list of what we are looking for, check out our Donate Supplies page.

Thank you, from the children we serve, for your care and concern. Your generosity will help children around the world live happier, healthier lives. For more information on serving opportunities available, please email us at volunteer@globaldentalrelief.org.

The post Supporting the Children of GDR by Serving from Afar first appeared on Global Dental Relief.

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Student Growth Through Volunteering

Many of our volunteers are experienced dental professionals or established career professionals, but what about the great experience to be had by future dentists and global citizens? Volunteering with GDR is the perfect way to give back while learning about yourself and the dental profession.

Read more about Maya Patel’s story volunteering in Kenya.

JOIN US NEXT YEAR!

We set the date for next year’s event early, in hopes that our out of town GDR family can join in the festivities next year. Save September 19, 2018 – come to Colorado, see old friends, meet new ones and spend the evening helping children in need.   

Upcoming Clinics

Thanks to Trip Leader Andrea Swenson for hosting a terrific fundraiser at her home in California in late August.  If any of you have the time and interest to host either a volunteer party to recruit new folks to GDR or a fundraiser please let Kim know! They are easy and fun events to help us spread the word and we would love to join you for an event!

The post Global Dental Relief Fall 2017 Newsletter first appeared on Global Dental Relief.

What skills do I need?

Your most valuable assets are an open mind, a sense of humor, and the ability to work hard with other team members. You don’t need to have experience in the field of dentistry. Our volunteers come from all walks of life – students, teachers, business owners, retired professionals. Whether you have formal dental training or not, all volunteers are supported by Global Dental Relief staff from the beginning and are trained in the country.

What should I consider when it comes to cost and logistics?

Volunteers pay a project fee to Global Dental Relief for their experience. This covers supplies, transportation, hotels, most meals and any planned sightseeing included in the itinerary. The cost of the flight is separate. We can help you find airfare as needed.
The project fee depends on the country you visit and is published on the itineraries and cost page of our website. Many volunteers have put together fundraisers to cover some or all of the project fee. Others have found support from friends, family, and local businesses to help cover the cost. Our office is happy to assist you in brainstorming how to fundraise and to offer resources.

What is the Global Dental Relief experience?

It all started with a trip to Nepal in 2001. Since then, our organization has expanded to run 22 projects annually in five countries. In each country, we work with a local partner who acts as a community liaison and ensures we have a safe place to set up our clinic and work. Each project includes six days working in a portal dental clinic, with sightseeing and adventure built into the itinerary. Depending on the country you visit and the adventures you choose to experience, you’ll be abroad for anywhere from 8 to 21 days.

How do I sign up?

Getting signed up is easy. All it takes is a completed application with deposit. From the first time you contact us, you work directly with one of our country coordinators to ensure you are fully prepared for your journey.

Do you have any questions that we haven’t covered here? Feel free to visit our FAQs page, email us or call us at 308-858-8857. We’re happy to help.

The post Commonly Asked Questions About Volunteers on a GDR Clinic. first appeared on Global Dental Relief.

“I really love the mission of Global Dental Relief, but I don’t have any experience in the dental field.”

This is one of the most common responses we hear from prospective volunteers; and contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be a dentist to join us in one of our clinics. In fact, Global Dental Relief clinics could not function without the dedication and commitment of our non-medical volunteers.

At Global Dental Relief, the term “non-medical volunteer” refers to volunteers without any formal dental training. This also includes pre-dental and pre-dental hygiene students who are on their way to becoming dental professionals. GDR volunteers are family members, children (14 and older), students, friends, and retirees; they are executives, lawyers, and consultants. The only requirement of a non-medical volunteer is the desire to help children in need. Our volunteer teams typically consist of 4-5 dentists, 2-3 hygienists and roughly 10 non-medical volunteers. This means that 65% of our volunteers are non-medical.

As a non-medical volunteer, you can expect to do one of the essential jobs listed here:

1. Sterilization
At each of our individual clinics we serve an average of 100 children a day, all of whom require clean instruments for examination and treatment. At our sterilization station, non medical volunteers assist our dental chairs by insuring all instruments are kept cleaned and ready for use!

2. Fluoride
In this particular role, volunteers work directly with children as they come out of the dental chairs. You will apply fluoride paste to their teeth, which combined with regular brushing will help protect from future cavities.

3. Record Keeping and Checkout

Volunteers help keep a careful tally of the information gathered and treatment provided, which will prove invaluable to GDR in calculating our impact and planning future clinics. In this role, you will also get to distribute stickers or other prizes to the children as a reward for their bravery. (AKA the clinic favorite!)

4. Tooth brushing and Dental Hygiene Instructions

This role is great for anyone who has high energy and a love for children! You will team up with a local community member to creatively and interactively teach kids about the importance of good dental hygiene and how to take care of their teeth.

5. Clinic Flow

Our “clinic flow” volunteer is a suitable role for anyone with quick reflexes who is good at thinking on their feet. You will help keep tabs on children in the clinic as they move from station to station.

6. Chairside Assisting
The role of chairside assisting is complex and entails many different responsibilities. From preparing amalgam for the filings to charting – our chairside assistants do it all! As an assistant, you will be trained on the ground to assist our dentists and hygienists in order to serve as many kids as possible.chairside assisting

As you can see, non-medical volunteers are crucial to the success of our clinics. Their hard work allows GDR clinics to provide crucial dental care to thousands of children all over the globe. Without them, this work would not be possible.

If you are thinking of joining a trip, we have several non-medical openings on our upcoming trips. We are always in need of dedicated and compassionate volunteers. The mission and vision of GDR would not be possible without the support and commitment of our volunteers!

To find out more information or how to apply, contact us at volunteer@globaldentalrelief.org.

Current clinics with non-medical openings: (subject to change)

Guatemala June 2nd- 11th, 2017

Cambodia July 2nd – 14th, 2017

India August 21st – September 4th, 2017

India September 2nd – 16th, 2017

Kenya July 11th- 24th, 2017

Cambodia October 24th- November 5th, 2017

The post What it Means to be a Non-Dental Volunteer With GDR! first appeared on Global Dental Relief.