Douglas Berkey

Abstract

This presentation highlights the structure, impact, and research findings of Global Dental Relief (GDR), a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to improving pediatric oral health worldwide. Over the past two and one-half decades, GDR has provided free dental care to children aged 6–17 in five countries: Nepal, Cambodia, India, Guatemala, and Mexico. GDR has earned the  “best-in-class” designation with a Platinum rating from Candid—an organization that evaluates over 1.9 million nonprofits in the U.S. as well as some international organizations.  GDR operates mobile clinics in partnership with local schools and communities.  Each clinic is typically staffed by 4–5 dentists, 1–2 hygienists, and approximately 10 general volunteers, delivering treatment and preventive care over five-day sessions to 400–500 children. Emphasizing prevention and continuity of care, most children are seen every two years or less. Between clinics, GDR distributes toothbrushes and provides oral health education, reaching 25,000 students annually in schools and remote villages. Since its founding in 2001, GDR has conducted 349 clinics, served 261,067 patients, restored 148,899 teeth, extracted 51,651 teeth, and administered 137,000 fluoride treatments. The organization has donated $55.4 million USD in dental care, with an average cost of $27 USD per child. Recent data from 2024 reveal significant variations in treatment needs across countries: Cambodia reported the highest prevalence (77%), while Nepal had the lowest (33%). Nepal’s lower rates may reflect different mitigating risk factors such as lower cariogenic diets and GDR’s long-standing Nepali program presence—25 years and 350 clinics—along with stronger preventive recall systems and greater oral health hygiene by teachers in congregant living settings. Key insights suggest that volunteer organizations can effectively collaborate with local partners to address pediatric oral health disparities. The GDR model offers valuable lessons for replication in other regions with high dental needs, emphasizing continuity of care and prevention. Two decades of data provide a rich foundation for program continuous qualiy improvement as well as better understanding general global and country specific disease prevalence, risk factors, and effective intervention strategies.