Restoration Gateway founder Tim McCall, M.D., was asked by the orphans how he had so many teeth at his age. The children thought it strange because most rural Ugandans his age are missing numerous teeth. All dentists who have done dental work at RG have agreed that a high number of broken roots are found in patients treated. Lack of dental education and care result in many untreated cavities, which become abscesses.

Half of the children in Uganda report dental pain. Compare this with children in the USA, where only 5% report dental pain. There is tremendous need for dentists and dental facilities.

Uganda has only 250 dentists nationwide. Worsening this shortage, most of these professionals live in and around Kampala, yet 87% of the population lives in rural areas. This means rural Uganda has a dentist-patient ratio of 1:421,000. That's the equivalent of only one dentist serving the all of the population within the city of Atlanta, Georgia!

When pain from abscessed teeth becomes too great, villagers look for help with the pain. In the absence of trained dental professionals, the only aid they find is extraction by untrained fellow villagers, with no tools designed for this task. If the tooth is not extracted easily, it is simply broken so that the roots will die and the pain will subside. The root remains in the patient’s jaw.

Restoration Gateway plans to help address the lack of dental care in Uganda through building and operating a dental center. This center will provide preventative, restorative, and palliative care for the public in the region as well as the orphans cared for by RG. This will substantially increase the quality of life for people living in the district. Because services will be available on an ability-to-pay “sliding scale,” the dental center has the likely potential to positively affect a very high percentage of residents in the district as they will undoubtedly require dental services at some time.

The dental center will include:
• an eight-chair clinic
• full x-ray capacity
• laboratory
• business office
• full two-bedroom apartment for visiting dentists and students
• a conference room and library with audio-visual equipment for training and meetings.

To view plans, click the thumbnails at the bottom of this page.

The dental center will be built in honor of Walter Cooper Sandusky, DDS, MS, of Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. Sandusky has a deep passion for dental missions that embodies the heart behind Restoration Gateway’s dental center. A life-long friend of founder Tim McCall, M.D., Dr. Sandusky has performed dental services at Restoration Gateway and is an avid supporter of the project.  

How you can help?

Give
Estimated construction cost is $250,000. Every dollar donated for the dental center through 2012, will be matched by a grant from the Christian Mission Concerns Foundation up to $50,000! Visit our giving page to donate today.

In-Kind gifts of quality new or used dental equipment will gladly be accepted to furnish the center upon completion of construction. A list of equipment needed can be found here.

Go
We invite you to take a dental mission trip to RG. Even before the center is completed, temporary clinics are needed and can be arranged in our multi-purpose building or in remote villages through our mobile medical unit. After completion of the dental center, the need for visiting and long-term dental staff will increase. Opportunities to teach continuing education will also be available.

Spread the Word
Tell others about the need in Uganda for this dental center. RG stateside staff, or when possible, founders Dr. Tim and Janice McCall, would be happy to meet you and your friends or colleagues that share an interest in dental missions in Africa. Please feel free to contact us to discuss these opportunities!

Click here for a brochure to print or email a colleague.
  
To view plans, click a below: