What happens when international businesses, local organisations, government leaders, dental professionals, teachers and community health workers come together around a shared goal?
Last week in Tanzania, we saw the answer: knowledge was shared, local leadership was strengthened, practical action began immediately, and thousands of children and families gained a better chance of improved oral health.
Bridge2Aid was proud to support a THEDI-led oral health education programme in Mwanza and Sengerema, working alongside Colgate-Palmolive Tanzania and seven volunteers from GC Europe, representing seven different countries.
Although everyone brought different experiences and perspectives, the team was united by one belief: lasting improvements in oral health are achieved through strong partnerships, locally led action and education that can be shared far beyond the original training room.
Building the right foundations
The week began with meetings with the Regional Medical Officer and Regional Dental Officer. The team then visited a school in Mwanza, where they delivered oral health education and screenings for children, teachers and parents.
From there, the programme moved to Sengerema District, a new area for our partnership work.
Sengerema is home to approximately half a million people, supported by just two dentists and three Dental Therapists. With such limited access to dental professionals, prevention and community-based oral health education are essential.
Before the training began, the team met with district government officials to introduce the programme, discuss local priorities and ensure that the work had their full backing. This engagement is an important part of the Bridge2Aid and THEDI approach. Programmes are most effective when they are developed with local leaders, respond to local needs and strengthen existing health and education systems.
Local professionals leading the way
One of the most powerful aspects of the week was seeing local experience and expertise at the centre of the training.
The trainers included District Dental Officers, members of the THEDI team and four Dental Therapists who had previously taken part in Bridge2Aid’s clinical skills training programmes.
These Dental Therapists are now passing their knowledge on to others, demonstrating how investment in one group of health professionals can create a ripple effect across an entire district.
They delivered the majority of the training, with the GC Europe volunteers supporting small-group sessions on the practicalities of toothbrushing, using toothpaste effectively, diet and nutrition.
This was partnership in action: local professionals leading the programme, supported by international volunteers who brought their own knowledge, enthusiasm and experience.
Reaching schools and villages
Across the week, the programme trained representatives from 60 district schools:
- 13 Ward Education Coordinators
- 60 Head Teachers
- 120 Health Teachers
Representatives from 44 villages also attended:
- 21 people responsible for local health facilities
- 21 Reproductive and Child Health Coordinators working with mothers and babies
- 88 Community Health Workers
The participants were fully engaged throughout the sessions, asking questions, sharing locally held myths, sharing their experiences and exploring how the messages could be adapted for their own communities.
At the end of each day, every participant developed an action plan setting out how they would cascade the oral health messages through their schools, health facilities and villages.
The response was almost immediate. Participants trained on Wednesday were already sending photographs by Friday showing them delivering oral health education in their schools.
That rapid move from training to action captures exactly what the programme was designed to achieve.
The teachers involved are expected to reach around 116,000 children across Sengerema District, significantly increasing oral health literacy and helping children and families understand how simple daily actions can prevent pain and disease.
GC Europe also provided every participating school and village with a bag of toothbrushes, giving local educators a practical resource to begin encouraging healthier behaviours straight away.
Learning about Infant Oral Mutilation
During the visit, the GC Europe team also met Dr Nila Jackson, a Bridge2Aid Trustee and member of the management committee of the Tanzanian Dental Association, who leads the programme in Tanzania to prevent Infant Oral Mutilation.
Infant Oral Mutilation is a harmful traditional practice involving the removal of developing tooth buds from babies and young children, often using unsterile instruments and without anaesthetic. The volunteers were shocked to learn how widespread the practice remains and how serious its consequences can be.
Their discussions with Dr Nila reinforced the importance of community education, trusted local voices and long-term partnerships in challenging harmful beliefs and protecting children.
Katrin Langer, Vice President of Sales for GC Europe, reflected:
“Education is progress, and taking part in the training programme was a very rewarding experience. Working with dental professionals who want to help their communities to improve oral health is inspiring. We came as strangers and left as allies in the fight against Infant Oral Mutilation.”
John Maloney, Country Manager at GC UK, added:
“What stood out to me was the strength of the local leadership and the commitment of everyone taking part. This was not simply about delivering information for a week; it was about equipping people who are trusted within their schools and communities to create lasting change. Seeing participants put their plans into action before the programme had even finished showed the real impact of the partnership.”
More than the sum of its parts
No single organisation could have achieved this alone.
THEDI brought its local expertise, amazing planning skills, local relationships, dental knowledge and understanding of the communities. Government health, dental and education officials provided leadership and ensured that the programme supported district priorities. Local Dental Therapists and District Dental Officers delivered relevant, practical training. Teachers and community health workers committed to taking the messages further. Colgate-Palmolive Tanzania supported the programme locally, with funding and posters and leaflets to be distributed locally, while GC Europe provided funding, and their team contributed their skills, energy and enthusiasm.
Bridge2Aid was privileged to help bring these partners together and support a programme that is locally owned and designed to continue long after the visiting team has returned home.
To our colleagues at THEDI, GC Europe, Colgate-Palmolive Tanzania, the regional and district government teams, the Dental Therapists, teachers, health workers and every participant: thank you.
You did not simply attend a programme. You helped create a network of oral health champions who will reach children, parents and communities throughout Sengerema.
Together, you have made a difference—and this is only the beginning.
