ABSTRACT
For the first time in global history, we have access to global burden of oral disease data that we can compare across decades and nations; we can analyse demographic, epidemiologic and nutritional trends in order to develop evidence-based interventions and measure long-term program impact on oral health. In response to evolving trends affecting health and human development, this chapter discusses a series of guiding principles for dental volunteering to achieve continued oral health improvement globally and more sustainable development in the long term. Dental volunteering in the global setting can take several forms. Service projects provide urgent care to local communities; though valuable in the short term, they have been criticized for their lack of sustainability and for their absence of continuity of care. Training and education projects are designed to empower local providers and include promoting oral health education and training local health providers with practical dental skills.
