Journey with us to Uganda!
Serving alongside our local team members, Hope Smiles short-term Dental Serve Teams create generational change by sharing their specific expertise with our local teams. General dentists, specialists and hygienists share their specific specialties in unreached communities and equip our teams to continue to serve. Prepare to have your life transformed as you come and transform lives yourself!
Uganda Trips
2023 Dates
May 26 - June 5
Trip led by Ryan Shinska
June 28 - July 8
Trip led by Dr. Jayson Tabor
What to Expect
1. You will become familiar with our core values, vision, mission, and goals with the local team you serve alongside. This happens before you arrive and at your orientation. We are a values-driven organization, and understanding how our values and vision drive our daily responsibilities is essential to working with us. It is our hope that your time here adds significance and meaning on your journey as we transform lives together...and create memories to last a lifetime.
2. Equipment, supplies, support staff, and translators will be ready for you. You will have the freedom to focus on transforming lives through quality, compassionate dental care!
3. Transport, accommodation, and food will be pre-arranged for you prior to your arrival. This will all be tailored to any special requirements you may have -- our team on the ground will walk you through what is available!
4. Each morning begins with a devotional and huddle at 7:30 am, whether you are in the village or at the dental center.
5. You will work hard. That's the only way we know!
6. You will transform lives as your own life is transformed along the way!
A Look Inside Previous Trips
Hear From Previous Volunteers
In February 2018 we had the privilege to attend an outreach of Hope Smiles. We have been working for an NGO in Uganda for years and were happy to learn more about Hope Smiles as the two organizations connected. We had heard about the work of Hope Smiles but had yet to see it up close.
3 dentists and 5 support staff from Hope Smiles relentlessly served the people from that mostly Muslim community on Tongolo peninsula. This community lives in extreme poverty and never had access to dental treatment prior to this outreach. The people were released from their pain and got schooling how to prevent further decay.
First schooled and treated on this outreach were what the Hope Smiles team calls Hope Smiles Ambassadors. Hope Smiles Ambassadors are members of the community who are trained to properly educate the community on proper oral health practices while dispelling dangerous dental related myths. Ambassadors also help engage the community year-round and organize patients for return outreaches, as most of them do not have phones. This is a fantastic concept!
All this was done with much love and respect for the patients so that one of the Muslim leaders stood up and thanked us Christians for sharing our love and serving them as Muslims. We felt Hope Smiles had an enormous impact on the people and everybody experienced God’s love.
After the outreach, the clinic of the NGO we work with was accepted a lot more in the community – before the Muslims had been reluctant to seek help at a Christian place.
We also see the importance of sustainability. Hope Smiles is providing continuing treatment biweekly and is a tremendous blessing for the people in the area. We love hearing the reports from the community around the NGO we work with. We are looking forward to serving with Hope Smiles again in March 2019!
-Dr. Rainer and Louise Bliefert, Switzerland
During the summer of 2018, I was able to travel to Jinja and work with Hope Smiles Uganda. I served in the clinic and also at an outreach in a nearby village. Working alongside members of the team there was amazing. They are creating systems that are innovative, effective, and educational while helping those in need of dental care. I was truly blown away by the professionalism and compassion the team showed while treating patients.
I’ve been able to travel the world utilizing my dental hygiene skills with Hope Smiles for the last ten years. My experiences have been life changing, and most of all memorable. A common denominator in the places I’ve served is the overwhelming need for love, compassion, and care. Through Hope Smiles, I have been able to show kindness for those who are less fortunate and give back smiles that have been lost.
-Suzanne Duvall, Nashville, Tennessee