A dental charity is encouraging dental teams to help raise much-needed funds by walking or jogging a total of 100 miles throughout April.

Dental Mavericks is a charity that seeks to end chronic dental pain for vulnerable communities.

But sadly its model has changed drastically over the last year due to COVID-19.

Previous to the pandemic, the charity has had volunteer-led outreach programmes in refugee camps in Lebanon and rural areas of Morocco.

Dental nurse Abigail Goodyear is fundraising officer with the charity.

She said: 'We have been continuing to work in Lebanon on a smaller scale, including emergency treatment through existing private clinics, supplying PPE, dental materials and covering costs for clinicians giving their time to see refugees and those affected by the economic crisis.

'In August, the Beirut blast meant we had to step into action. An emergency clinic was set up within 12 hours, to see and treat those affected by the blast suffering from oral trauma. We have seen approximately 100 patients a month since and still have 159 to see, with 79 still in treatment.'

Going forward, the charity is now looking at new ways to bring in funding to support its projects, as the model of Dental Mavericks changes.

The charity previously has relied on funding from running outreach programmes. Collaborating with existing private clinics in the surrounding areas, supplementing costs enables Dental Mavericks to give local dentists opportunities as well as providing aid to refugees and the local community during the economic crisis.

This new models means Dental Mavericks can support more people in need on a much larger scale that has the potential to be replicated anywhere in the world.

Abigail said: 'We launched the 100 Mile Challenge for the month of April on World Oral Health Day last Saturday with the aim to raise donations to continue our work on new and existing projects in 2021.

'Join us this April and challenge yourself to walk, jog or run 100 miles that will help raise donations for Dental Mavericks – and discover the beauty of Lebanon.

'The challenge is suitable for everyone, no matter your ability or where you are in the world.

'We will be sharing beautiful scenery as we travel "virtually" through 100 miles of the Lebanon Mountain trail that transcends through ancient cedar forests, olive orchards, monasteries carved into cliff faces, lost hamlets and 6,000 years of history.'

For details of the challenge, visit https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/chari...

Author: