The outreach aimed to bring essential dental care closer to rural communities. Services offered included tooth extractions, fillings, professional teeth cleaning, dental consultations, and ear syringing.
For many residents of Gambisara and surrounding communities, untreated dental problems and persistent tooth pain have long been a silent burden. The clinic’s visit gave them access to care they would otherwise have to travel long distances and pay extra costs to receive.
Alieu Sossoh, a farmer from Basse Dampha Kunda, said he had suffered from tooth pain for years.“Tooth pain has always been my problem. When I heard Munaff was coming to Gambisara to give free dental services to everyone, I was very happy,” Sossoh said.
Despite heavy rain and farm duties, he prioritised attending the outreach to seek treatment.
Another beneficiary, Mariama Manneh, received professional dental scaling. She said she only learned about the procedure after following Munaff Dental Clinic on social media.
“I never knew there was anything like dental scaling. It was only when I followed your social media that I became aware that calculus can be removed from the tooth,” Manneh said.
She added that calculus buildup made her uncomfortable and embarrassed to smile. “I always felt shy to smile because of the calculus on my teeth. I tried removing it with a toothbrush and a stick, but it could not be removed,” she said.
Isatou Sanneh, Dental Therapist at Munaff Dental Clinic, urged the public to prioritise regular dental check-ups. She warned that delaying treatment can lead to more serious, painful, and expensive procedures.
“Make sure that you visit the dentist every six months,” Sanneh advised.
She noted that early detection and treatment can prevent patients from spending thousands of dalasis on complex procedures later.
Sanneh also stressed that dental health challenges are not limited to the Greater Banjul Area and Kombo, and called for better access to dental services across the country.
Lamin Saidy, General Manager of Munaff Dental Clinic, said the outreach combined oral health education with free consultations, cleaning, fillings, and extractions.
He described the turnout in Gambisara as “encouraging,” adding that many beneficiaries had never accessed professional dental cleaning before.
According to Saidy, the outreach was organised partly in response to requests from patients in the Upper River Region who travel long distances for dental treatment. “We normally get feedback from patients. They requested this from us,” he said.
He urged the public to seek professional dental care early, stressing that treatment goes beyond extraction. “Dental treatment doesn’t only stop at extraction,” he said.
The Gambisara outreach is part of Munaff Dental Clinic’s broader commitment to giving back to communities through school and community-based dental programs.
The clinic said it remains committed to promoting oral health awareness and extending essential services to communities with limited access to professional care.
