By Hala Allawama (YES 2014-2015, Jordan, placed by FLAG in Centreville, MI) 

According to a report released by the UNHCR, Jordan hosts the second-highest number of refugees per capita in the world. Jordan is in the Middle East and shares a northern border with Syria. After the war escalated in 2011, many Syrians fled to Jordan and now consider it their home.

Due to limited resources available for refugees, many families depend on humanitarian assistance from international organizations to meet their basic health needs. The cost of treatment and preventative care is the main barrier to healthcare access.

Spending my YES year in Michigan was unquestionably one of the best things that happened in my life. Living abroad, being exposed to a different culture, engaging with the community, and getting involved in different volunteering opportunities has sculpted my personality and shaped me in a wonderful way.

In 2021, I graduated from dental school as a Doctor of Dental Surgery. During my participation in international medical missions in Jordan, I was inspired by the healthcare providers who had traveled thousands of miles from home to volunteer and treat underserved people. I realized how health inequity leads to preventable diseases and is detrimental to the quality of life and well-being for refugees.

Our aim with the Healthy Teeth Project was to shed light on this issue and address a gap in dental care for children. We targeted Syrian refugee children who are living in camps that are not supported by prevention programs. I applied for and received a YES Alumni Grant for the project, which provided dental health education to 1,005 Syrian refugee children and 105 parents and caregivers from July to October.

The project began by soliciting volunteer applications from dental students, interns, and dentists. Out of 165 applications, 41 volunteers were selected and trained. Our volunteer team then conducted nine training sessions on oral hygiene at seven refugee camps and a community center. We demonstrated proper brushing techniques on acrylic teeth models, and the children used the models to practice and demonstrate what they learned. Each child also received a fluoride treatment to prevent tooth decay and a kit with a toothbrush and toothpaste. The children were also encouraged to share what they learned with at least two friends or siblings.

When we asked participants to tell us how often they felt discomfort because of tooth or gum issues, 56.9% expressed that it was frequent. 38.1% of the children reported they have not seen a dentist in the last 12 months. We expect that the attitude towards dental hygiene has improved after the workshop, which we hope will result in fewer dental diseases and thereby reduce treatment cost and pain management in the future. We aimed to instill lifelong attitudes, knowledge, and good practices for oral health among the participants.

The project drew a lot of media attention, and an English article about our project was published in the Jordan Times. I am currently working on sharing the data obtained from our post-session evaluations with changemakers, potential funders, and other stakeholders who might engage with and expand the project in the future.

Thanks to YES program for teaching me the importance of being proactive in my community. I will always be grateful to the U.S. Department of State for their generous support of this project. Because of the YES Alumni Grants program, this project came to life!

This project would not have been possible without the help of our phenomenal volunteers. They were dedicated, passionate, and willing to give their time and knowledge wholeheartedly. Also, a huge thank you to our local supporters and partners: the local office of the Atlantic Humanitarian Relief, Mudeib Haddad and Sons Co., the Jordanian Association of Dental Students, and the Azraq Education and Community Fund, which opened its arms to us to raise awareness among their students.

You can follow the project on Instagram and check out our website.