Sahra’s Humanitarian Mission to The Gambia

In December, our implant dentist Dr Sahra Jabbar travelled to The Gambia as part of a humanitarian healthcare deployment with Humanitarian Medical Relief (HMR), joining a multidisciplinary team of around 45 volunteer clinicians from across the UK.

Over five days, the mission delivered free medical, dental and eye care across several communities where access to healthcare is extremely limited. Working alongside local providers, the team focused on relieving pain, treating infection, and providing essential care to those who might otherwise go without treatment.

To share more about the experience, we asked Sahra about her time on the mission.

What inspired you to take part in the dental mission to The Gambia?

“I’ve always felt that if you have a skill that can relieve pain, you should use it where it’s needed most. Dentistry has the ability to make an immediate difference to someone’s quality of life, and humanitarian work allows you to see that impact very clearly.

Being part of a wider team of volunteers — all giving their time to support underserved communities — was something I really wanted to contribute to.”

What were the most common dental problems you treated, and how different was it from working in the UK?

“The majority of patients we saw were suffering from advanced dental decay, severe infections, and long-standing untreated pain. Many had never had access to routine dental care, so problems that might be treated early in the UK had progressed much further.

Across the five days, the dental team treated hundreds of patients and performed a high number of extractions to remove non-restorable teeth and relieve infection.

In the UK, we focus heavily on prevention and long-term planning. On the mission, the priority was urgent care — relieving pain and stabilising infection — and seeing how quickly that could transform someone’s comfort and wellbeing was incredibly powerful.”

Was there a particular patient or moment during the trip that really stayed with you?

“There were many moments that stay with you. One of the most striking things was how far some patients had travelled, and how long they had been living with discomfort before being seen.

You’d treat someone who had been in pain for years, and the relief was immediate. Even without many shared words, you could see the difference it made. Those moments really stay with you — they remind you how meaningful even simple care can be.”

What was the most challenging part of providing dental care in a resource-limited setting?

“Working in a setting with limited equipment and supplies is definitely challenging. You have to adapt quickly and rely on core clinical skills, often without the tools you would normally have available.

The pace was also intense because of the sheer demand. There were long queues and a strong awareness that many people might not have another opportunity for care.

But despite that, there was an incredible sense of teamwork. Everyone was focused on the same goal, and that shared purpose made the experience very special.”