Whangārei man gathers team to provide dental work in Myanmar

A portable X-ray machine made the work for the dental team in Kote Tet easier. Photos / Supplied

Children of a tiny village on the banks of the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar have seen a dentist for the first time in their lives thanks to the help of Whangārei man Mark Nicholls.

The travel agent mobilised a team of volunteers, including two dentists from the United States, to set up a temporary dental clinic at a monastery in Kote Tet where they treated about 220 children over the course of a week.

He said while the children's teeth were in bad health, he hoped to make a lasting impact and plans to return in early 2021 to carry on with his work.

Nicholls is organising tours throughout Southeast Asia and has been taking tourists up the Irrawaddy River for four years.

Travel agent Mark Nicholls buying supplies for the dental crew headed for Kote Tet.

Kote Tet has become an established stop on the river cruise, and while Nicholls had started supplying the monastery's orphanage with school stationery, food, sports equipment and clothes, last year a passenger approached him to ask him what else could be done to help the people.

"Late last year, we had two dentists on board. They were incredibly touched by the experience at Kote Tet and wanted to help the children there," Nicholls said.

Nicholls took matters in his own hands to gather together a team of volunteers and dentists Dr Peter Banks and Dr Jeffry Gifford who would help to provide dental work in Kote Tet.

With supplies and rented dental gear on board, the crew headed up the Irrawaddy River in mid-November and shortly after set up their temporary practice within the realms of the Kote Tet Monastery.

US-American dentists Peter Banks and Jeffery Gifford treating children at the Kote Tet Monastery.

"The children all had terrible dental oral health. The decay, the tarter build-up and the gum disease were some of the worst our dental team had ever dealt with," Nicholls said.

He explained that even though many of the children had to undergo extensive treatment, they were all astonishingly brave – the "most solid kids" he had ever met.

"From the 220 children we've treated only two burst out in tears. They were so tough and resilient. They would spit blood in the bucket during their treatment and then lean back to open their mouth again," Nicholls said.

"Of course, you could see the worry in their eyes, but we had a great nurse who helped to keep them calm. The kids were very grateful and often gave us hugs after their treatment. There was genuine gratitude in their attitude."

The girl had tuberculosis as a child which left her with lasting nerve damage, yet she had the "most beautiful smile", Nicholls said.

Nicholls said he had vibrant memories of one of the girls they treated. She had tuberculosis when she was younger, leaving her with lasting nerve damage.

"Her hands were constantly shaking, and I could tell that she was embarrassed by that."

Nicholls went over to her and told her that she was doing well and that she didn't need to be scared. He sat with her through the entire treatment.

"Afterwards, she flashed the most beautiful smile at us. She touched us all very deeply."

There is little to no education around dental hygiene for remote villagers like the people of Kote Tet which explains their poor oral health.

The dental team meeting with parents of the Kote Tet children to talk about oral hygiene.

To make matters worse, people in the area enjoy consuming the acidic betel nut, also known as areca nut.

Adults and children chew on the nut, often wrapped in tobacco, which colours their mouths red and rots their teeth. It can even cause oesophagus cancer.

In an effort to make the project more sustainable for the community, Nicholls's team organised a meet up with parents from the village to explain about oral hygiene and how to keep teeth healthy.

"These children will grow up in a different, modern Myanmar than their parents. They will go to the city to find work in industries like tourism and retail, but with decayed and missing teeth it would be very difficult for them."

Most of the children had never been to a dentist before.

Nicholls has already made plans to return to Kote Tet in January 2021 – this time with more dental hygienists on board.

Since all patient data was saved digitally, it will be easier for the team to provide thorough follow-up treatment in the coming years.

Nicholls, together with a small group of people, will also sponsor the education, including high school and university, of a 13-year-old girl who is from one of the poorest families from Kote Tet.

Nicholls, who spends a lot of his time in Southeast Asia, said Myanmar and Kote Tet especially was a special place to him and that he couldn't wait to return.

After treating over 200 children, the dental team also looked after adults.