Getting involved

A friend of mine on the committee asked me to get involved with AOG. After attending one of their meetings I was inspired by the vision and passion the AOG has in using their dental skills in promoting charity work. It highlighted to me how committed the organisation is to helping those who aren't as fortunate as others.

Aside from the projects in Chitrakoot in India, and the forthcoming trip to South Africa this year, the AOG raise awareness of their charity work in the UK through the annual events back home such as the annual ball and the family days out. It brings a different aspect of membership to me as a dental clinician and has contributed to me wanting to get involved with international projects in the future.

Currently I am looking into a project that looks into teaming up with the London 2012 projects, targeting one of the more deprived boroughs and aiming to raise awareness of oral health within the community for children between ages of 10-16. We are looking at oral hygiene, gum disease and dental decay, as well as oral lesions such as oral cancer. Our goal is to give constructive and helpful messages to kids at an early age, explaining the implications that using tobacco based products has on oral health. The focus is not just to help abroad but also in our own back yard. There are a wealth of opportunities for young people such as myself to help to contribute charitably, and support each other.