About the Program
Grab the opportunity to learn from qualified
dentists by joining our Dentistry internship in Ghana. You’ll shadow dentists
as they move around the hospital completing day-to-day tasks. This is a great
way to learn about dentistry in a developing country and add practical work
experience to your CV.
You’ll also assist dentists as they
provide free basic dental checks to disadvantaged children. When you aren’t
helping with dental checks, you’ll talk with the children about the importance
of good dental health. You can demonstrate effective teeth brushing and run
educational talks on gum disease.
If you are a student looking for
dentistry work experience in another country, then our Dentistry internship in
Ghana is for you.
You’ll have the opportunity to
shadow dentists and work with patients who have a culture different to your
own. The skills you’ll learn during this internship are a great addition to any
CV. This can put you a step ahead of the rest in future job interviews.
Even if you’re not a dental student
but are considering a career in this direction, you are welcome to sign up. The
focus of this internship is on learning, and we’ll teach you everything you
need to know for outreach work. You’ll also have a supervisor who will be there
when you need them. They are here to teach you, guide you and support you
throughout your time in Ghana.
This internship is open throughout
the year. You can join from two weeks, but we encourage you to stay longer. The
longer you stay, the more you’ll learn.
This project is also perfect for university medical and healthcare elective
students. The real-world insight and knowledge you gain will help shape you as
a future medical professional. You will also learn to work with different
people and get a broader perspective of global healthcare systems and issues.
This benefits your career for years to come. We can organise a placement that
meets all of your university's requirements.
As an intern, you’ll shadow dentists
and other medical staff at a local hospital. During your internship, you will:
- Shadow local dentists as they complete their day-to-day
tasks in a local hospital
- Assist with patient and equipment preparation as well
as providing the patients with support if needed
- Complete basic dental checks alongside a dentist during
community outreaches
- Conduct oral hygiene presentations in the community and
at schools
Your work will focus on these areas:
1) Shadow and assist local dentists as
they complete their day-to-day tasks in a local hospital
To give you a better idea of dental
practices in a developing country, you’ll spend your time observing dentists at
your dentistry placement in Ghana. You’ll assist with patient and equipment
preparation, and provide patients with support if they feel they need it. Use
this opportunity to ask the dentist questions about the conditions of different
patients and how they are being treated.
2) Complete basic dental checks
alongside a qualified dentist during community outreaches
Many locals living in rural areas cannot
afford basic healthcare and are unable to travel to the hospitals and clinics.
To improve their access to basic healthcare, you’ll assist dentists with free
basic dental checks in the community. You’ll assist with examinations and the
dentist will advise or refer patients after discussing their cases with you.
3) Conduct oral hygiene presentations
in the community and at schools
Education is key to preventing
dental issues. You’ll talk to the community and children at local schools about
the importance of good oral hygiene. You’ll also create posters and informative
materials to distribute in the community and run teeth brushing demonstrations
for the children.
Can I use this program as part of a college or university placement?
It
is certainly possible to use one of OGVO’s programs as part of your
university or college placement. Project staff can sign off any
paperwork required by your course tutors. OGVO regularly receives
medical, childcare, psychology and nursing placement students at our
projects across Ghana and we have ties with some of the leading
universities.
If you’re a course tutor and would like further
information about how one of OGVO’s programs could meet the placement
requirements for your degree course then please contact us directly.
Benefits as a Volunteer/Intern Abroad Increase Your Employment
Opportunities
- Such
global working and living experiences help you build
up your resume and stand out from the rest. Potential
employers admire the tenacity it takes for someone to leave their comfort
zone and challenge themselves.
- International
volunteer experience indicates valuable
personal qualities. It shows that you are a responsible
global citizen with a helping heart.
- Knowledge
of a second language or a foreign culture can dramatically increase
exciting global employment opportunities. It is an excellent way of
developing a competitive edge in the global employment market.
Develop Global Networks
- Our
programs provide you a good opportunity to cultivate long lasting
friendships. These networks will contribute to both your personal life
and your professional life.
Increase Your Cultural
Intelligence
- Open
yourself to a transformative experience as you immerse
yourself in a foreign culture first hand. Expand your
world-view, and challenge your personal beliefs. Life’s
too short to live in a bubble.
Access Great Learning
Opportunities
- International
volunteer/intern programs provide valuable on-the-job
learning opportunities.
- Many
participants have taken our programs to earn
university credits towards their degree, to take a co-op
term, or to earn volunteer hours
for medical school applications and graduate school application.
- It
helps you to enhance your language skills.
The most effective way to learn a new language is to speak it in
day-to-day life. It is much more rewarding than just learning it in a
classroom.
Travel and Have Fun
- International
volunteer travel is the best way to see the world
as it gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself right into the local
culture. What is the point of seeing the world in hotels when you can
actually be a part of the local society? You will be living and working
with the local people and other international volunteers.
- Endless
travel opportunities are excellent ways
of exploring more places in the country. Whether you like to join a
wildlife/scenery tour or a cultural tour, we can provide you flexible
work schedule and free travel advice to facilitate travel arrangement.
Location
Ghana is a peaceful and welcoming country; Ghana satisfies one's appetite for both modern and traditional life. Its wide valleys, low-lying coastal plains, and thick rainforests resound with the beat of traditional rituals, while her cities glow and vibrate with all the bustle of the modern world. The Ghanaians are the friendliest people in West Africa: warm, proud yet humble with a contagious and calming sense of funniness.
Ghana is hot. It is always hot. What’s more, it's always humid. Humidity usually lingers between 95 and 100 percent. The rainy season lasts from mid-June to mid-November - sometimes. The rain provides a little respite from the intense heat, but temperatures will still be in the mid-80s Fahrenheit. The south of the country experiences the heaviest rainfall during September.
Safety
Your safety is most
important for us, and we will take all realistic steps to ensure that you
are safe. We only go to areas with excellent track records for safety. However,
no trip can be guaranteed to be hundred percent safe, and each guest must recognize
that travel to developing countries is, in broad, less safe than travel to
developed countries.