Bridge 2 Aid : 'Restoring Smiles - Changing Lives'

Why Tanzania? Why Dental and Community Development?

Bridge2Aid’s founders, Ian and Andie Wilson met in Tanzania in the mid 1990s, during which time Ian was making short term dental visits and Andie was helping to build an orphanage in a village in the Mwanza region. After marrying in the UK, they founded B2A and returned in 2002 along with their young family. The need for dental services and work with the street communities was clear, and in discussion with local & national government and other agencies that became the focus of B2A.

Our Milestones:

Hope Dental Centre - opened in October 2004
Hope Dental Centre operates on a unique self-funding basis. Now seeing over 280 paying patients each month, all the profits are used to help fund our operations in Mwanza. We also provide subsidised and free dental services to the poor.

Dental Volunteer Programme (DVP)
– began November 2004
We now operate 13-day trips for volunteer dentists/nurses three times a year!
The volunteers support Clinical Officer training, and are also heavily involved in delivering basic dental services in the rural areas.

In February 2009 we will host our 13th DVP!

Schools Oral Health Education Programme – launched October 2007
Our Community Dental Van, donated by Rocky Lane Dental Practice in the UK, is now in active use, visiting at least 2 schools/orphanages each month.