Là où il n'y a pas de dentiste

“The health of teeth and gums, along with general health, will improve only when people take the lead in caring for themselves.”

— Where There Is No Dentist

Using straightforward language, this illustrated book explains basic preventive care of teeth and gums; describes how to examine patients, diagnose common dental problems, make and use dental equipment, use local anesthetics, place fillings; remove teeth, and more. This edition of Where There Is No Dentist features a new section on how to do Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART), a permanent way to fill cavities without the use of a dental drill that was first pioneered in Tanzania in the mid-80s and is now used by health workers and dental workers in many parts of the world. We have also updated the information on other training materials, resources, and where to get dental supplies.

A special chapter on oral health and HIV/AIDS provides detailed, well-illustrated discussion of the special problems faced by people living with HIV/AIDS; and appropriate treatment strategies. This book is an important companion to Where There Is No Doctor.

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Table of Contents (English PDF)

Praise for Where There Is No Dentist

“By giving a well-balanced mixture of illustrations and simple, succinct text in layman's terms, the book provides valuable, hands-on advice for the most important oral health issues: oral health promotion in the community and basic oral care in low-resource settings.”
— Habib Benzian, World Dental Federation (FDI)

“As a nurse educator, I can say that the Where There Is No Dentist text by the Hesperian Foundation has been an excellent health resource text for us. Both its content, its diagrams and the educational level it was written for, have proven to be extremely useful. The content has been very practical in teaching lay Brazilians about oral hygiene and health care, as well as for identifying when oral and dental health problems exist and when and how to refer people to a dentist. It is rare that excellent health texts like this are written for the lay individuals.”
— Janette Ryan, Health Director, Project AmaZon Mission [PAZ], Brazil

“[Where There Is No Dentist is] a full on do-it-yourself guide for community health workers, educators and individuals on how to diagnose common dental problems, handle dental equipment, use local anesthetics, place fillings without drilling and remove teeth. The book uses simple instructions to make dentistry as accessible as can be. The new edition even includes a chapter on oral health and HIV/AIDS, as well as a guide to treat the dental problems commonly faced by people living with HIV/AIDS.”
— Benjamin Joffe-Walt, Chief of Staff, Change.org, USA