Dental Wellness Trust

Set up in May 2011 by Dr Linda Greenwall, the Dental Wellness Trust fulfils her long-envisioned life goal: to establish a dental charity to help those in need. Our overarching mission is to educate, treat and improve the oral health and wellbeing of people with little or no access to basic oral healthcare. At the forefront of our work is the promotion of oral health, which is integral to one’s general health and quality of life. We believe that every person has the right of access to oral health care, and a life of dignity, free from pain. This is why the DWT focuses on long term and sustainable preventative oral health strategies to help those in need. Essential to the DWT is the notion of integrated health. Health groups have traditionally taken a “vertical” approach to public health. However, recently, a more holistic or ‘horizontal’ approach has been advocated. This approach highlights the importance of health as a whole, rather than looking at oral health in isolation.

Why Oral Health

Oral health is a serious public health concern. Worldwide, institutions including the World Health Organisation, are increasingly acknowledging the connection between oral health and overall health. This includes the link between periodontal disease and diabetes, coronary heart disease, preterm birth and low birth weight. The FDI World Dental Federation maintains that there are many common risk factors between oral disease and other non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. This includes misuse of alcohol, tobacco, and poor diet, particularly the over-consumption of sugar.

Oral health can have considerable impact on both individuals and communities in terms of pain and suffering, and reduced quality of life. Oral health can affect schooling, friendships, getting a job, attracting a partner, and being able to eat and enjoy a balanced, varied diet. This is particularly a problem globally among disadvantaged and poor populations, where oral health has not always been a priority.

Our Projects

The DWT has carefully selected its projects and will partner with a number of established charities – recognised for their work and with an infrastructure already in place – to implement its projects and provide sustainable dental care solutions to those in need. We are currently developing projects with our partners in South Africa, Rwanda, Israel and the UK.