World Dental Development Fund

The World Dental Development Fund supports innovative oral health initiatives in disadvantaged populations. Winners are awarded US$10,000 each for the development of their projects. Winning projects for 2022 came from Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and two from India.

Aims to reduce the dietary sugar intake of the Indian population by developing a critical mass of advocates for sugar control in India. The secondary goal is to facilitate no-sugar advocacy in dental colleges in underserved areas in Maharashtra state.

Aims to integrate oral healthcare into primary healthcare in Kiambu County by training community health volunteers. The main goals are to improve oral health knowledge among the volunteers, enhance oral health promotion, and the prevention and early detection of oral diseases.

Aims to determine the effect of oral health interventions on the incidence of early childhood carries (ECC) in children aged 2 years, as well as assess ECC occurrence in children after oral health intervention. Another goal is to evaluate the association between nursing mothers and occurrence of ECC.

Aims to prevent ECC by utilizing an innovative, low-cost, and effective community-based intervention, which includes: education on nutrition and oral hygiene for community health workers, teachers, parents and children; toothbrushes and toothpaste for all 2–3 times per year; and dental exams.

Aims to reach a targeted population of about 3,000 children with special healthcare needs – aged from 3 to 14 years old – in different schools and special centres in three regions across Tanzania.