Tanzanian Dental School Laboratory Technicians Visit the USA for Training
with a Leading U.S. Dental Laboratory
NEW YORK, New York, May 31, 2011 – Two dental school technicians from the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences Dental School (MUHAS) in Tanzania recently wrapped up six weeks of training on how to repair and maintain dental lab equipment in Huntsville, Alabama. The training was sponsored by leading U.S/-based dental lab, Oral Arts Dental Laboratories, and MCW, a non-profit specializing in oral healthcare improvement in Tanzania. The training was part of MCW’s recent initiative to help establish the first national dental lab in Tanzania, following the major renovation of the dental clinics at the Dental School.
“MCW shares the vision of MUHAS and the Tanzanian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare leadership for the refurbished dental laboratory to serve as the country’s national dental laboratory to become a center of excellence for the region, and to provide dental appliances and prosthetics to all of Tanzania as well as surrounding countries,” said Dr. Marion Bergman, MCW’s Healthcare Projects Director.
The primary goal of training the technicians, Ricardo Moshy and Sospeter Kanaku, was to ensure that the new laboratory equipment and materials could be operated optimally and at maximum capacity. To facilitate the upgrade, MCW mobilized support through in-kind donations from more than thirty national and international dental laboratory manufacturers and distributors.
The coursework provided the lab technicians with in-depth practical training on advanced dental lab techniques. For example, to fabricate more advanced fixed and removable dental prosthetics appliances than are currently available in the country of Tanzania.
The training also included:
· Flexible partial denture systems
· Fixed crown and bridges systems
· Model and die fabrication for fixed prosthesis
· Denture setup techniques
· Metal casting procedures
· Light-cured composite fabrication
· Specialized dental lab practice and inventory management software training
While the lab technicians were being trained in Alabama, the state suffered a major catastrophe as a series of tornadoes blew through the state, resulting in widespread damage. Ricardo and Sospeter participated in disaster relief efforts at a local church over the weekend, helping remove debris and clear roadways.
