After our visit to Gabon, Africa (see Mission Africa 2003) Dr. Ahpin was determined to get even more hands-on with the people. He was limited in his ability to be able to provide free dentistry by the hospital we visited, so he decided to set out on his own and make sure he reached people who otherwise had no access to dental services.

In 2005 he successfully established a traveling dental unit providing all of his own equipment and supplies for visits to Niger, Africa. The equipment needed for dentistry is complex and includes a self-contained unit to provide suction, water, and a hand piece. Of course for this he needed a generator and water supply.

After an initial information-gathering trip to Niger in 2004, he began his first dental mission in January 2005 with the Christian Missionary Alliance Church who already had an established medical mission regularly traveling to Niger. He travels with the doctors and nurses to remote regions of Niger, often sleeping under the stars and sometimes working under a tree without the use of his equipment.

In 2007 he successfully established a charitable organization to accept donations and funding for the dental unit in Niger, Africa. The charity’s name is officially “Africa Smiles on Healthcare Foundation”. Donations can be received at our office with an official tax receipt provided. Currently most of the funding comes from Dr. Ahpin himself.

In 2008 we had our first “guest dentist” travel from Canada and use the equipment to provide services with the medical team. This is the goal of the foundation, to establish and fund the unit to be used by dentists from anywhere in the world who will join with the existing medical teams and administer dental care for the impoverished people of Niger.

Our dental office does a little fundraising for the foundation, we have purchased power toothbrushes at retail cost and sell them to our patients with all proceeds being donated to Africa Smiles. If you would like to purchase one of these brushes please let us know.