In the UK, we run regular training sessions based around the Teeth Relief Manual for nurses and doctors studying Diploma courses in Tropical Nursing and Tropical Medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Most aid agencies now require their nurses to have completed the Diploma in Tropical Nursing before working in low resource countries so for us, having an Oral Health component within this course is a powerful way to stress its importance, give nurses the confidence to include the mouth in general healthcare and deal with emergencies if they arise.
Claire Bertschinger, course leader for the Diploma in Tropical Nursing at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is personally committed to the importance of oral healthcare: ‘I could have done with a copy of the Teeth Relief manual when I was working for the Red Cross in Ethiopia. The cook for the children’s feeding centre, died from acute septicaemia after his tooth was extracted at the local medical centre with a pair of rusty pliers.’
A typical practical training session includes:
- oral health awareness
- cross infection control
- how to examine the mouth and chart teeth
- how to give injections in the mouth
- the principles of extracting teeth
- oral conditions, signs and symptoms.
Email us to discuss your training needs.