VICTORIA FALLS – More than 700 residents have received free dental treatment in just three days during a volunteer outreach programme aimed at bringing relief to communities with limited access to oral healthcare.
The second edition of the SmileStar Global Charity outreach, in partnership with CIMAS, was held at Mkhosana Clinic in Victoria Falls from 9 to 11 March, treating 705 patients—surpassing last year’s numbers.
A team of 16 dental professionals, many volunteering from Dentex—Europe’s largest private dental group—provided urgent dental treatment, pain relief, and oral health education to residents who would otherwise struggle to access such services.
Leading the volunteer team, Dr Mitesh Badiani said many of the dental problems treated were preventable and largely linked to high sugar consumption, particularly among children.
“The effects of sugar were one of the most common problems we treated,” Dr Badiani said. “Many of these dental problems are preventable, and education plays a key role in helping to avoid such problems in the future.”
The outreach provided services ranging from tooth extractions and fillings to preventative education, while also giving local healthcare professionals an opportunity to share knowledge with the visiting team.
CIMAS Health Group Head of Dental Clinics Dr Alan Guru said the response in Victoria Falls had been overwhelming, with hundreds seeking treatment during the three-day clinic.
“We started in Victoria Falls where we attended to over 700 people over a period of three clinical days, which was much higher than what we did last year,” said Dr Guru.
He said the outreach had brought relief to many patients suffering from untreated dental conditions.
“We’re excited that we were able to get all these people out of pain and treated, and we are looking forward to doing the same thing here at Miombo Safari Camp,” he said.
According to Dr Guru, tooth decay—particularly among young children—was the most common condition treated, with some cases requiring extractions due to severe damage.
“The main cases that we have seen are to do with tooth decay, particularly in young children,” he said.
“We’ve taken out a few teeth that otherwise should have been saved and we’ve done a lot of fillings that we would not have needed to do if the problem had been prevented from the beginning.”
Dr Guru urged communities to prioritise oral hygiene and take advantage of the free services being offered.
“A happy mouth is a happy life. That’s the message we are spreading as dentists and oral healthcare providers the world over,” he said.
“Please join us, come get free treatment, play your part by spreading the message and educate the next person on how to take care of their teeth. Let’s prevent dental caries.”
The outreach programme is supported by the Africa Albida Tourism group, which helped host the volunteer team during their stay in Victoria Falls.
Africa Albida Tourism Managing Director Nigel Frost said the company was proud to partner with SmileStar and CIMAS in delivering the clinics.
“We are proud to partner with SmileStar and CIMAS to help bring these clinics to our communities. This initiative provides vital dental care and education that will continue to benefit the residents of Victoria Falls long after the clinics have ended.”
SmileStar’s partnership with Dentex has also played a key role in providing volunteer expertise.
Dentex Founder Mark Cockburn said the outreach reflects the group’s commitment to making a meaningful impact through dentistry.
“Dentex is honoured to support SmileStar in this year’s outreach. Our team members are passionate about using their skills to make a positive impact, and it’s inspiring to see such results from the Victoria Falls clinics.”
This year the programme has expanded to include Matobo District, allowing the team to reach even more communities in need of oral healthcare. Following the Victoria Falls clinic, the outreach team moved to Miombo Safari Camp in Hwange on 13–14 March before heading to Matobo District from 17–18 March, where services will be offered at Ethandweni Children’s Home and Matobo Mission Clinic.
The programme aims to treat more than 1,000 patients across the three regions, while raising awareness about the importance of preventative dental care.
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