Bringing Healthy Smiles to the South Pacific—One Dental Degree at a Time

Dental clinics operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the South Pacific and the volunteers who staff them have blessed the lives of Pacific Islanders for decades. Church members, missionaries, and friends of the Church understand the value of having dental care so close to home.

But what if a clinic could also train and certify local students to be future dental hygienists? Beyond that – what if a clinic could offer a pathway for those same students to have a degree in oral health and be able to independently offer dental care? 

On the Tongan island of Tongatapu at Viola Hospital, that’s exactly what’s happening. 

The Church of Jesus Christ has collaborated with Tonga National University to create an accredited, three-year Bachelor of Oral Health programme that’s now in its second year. 

The teacher at the head of this inaugural class of 14 students is Kathleen Young, a retired dental hygiene instructor from Utah Valley University located in Provo, Utah, USA. 

DOWNLOAD

“I taught dental hygiene for twelve and a half years. The Lord knew when I retired that it was time for me to serve a religious mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When I turned my missionary application in, I was told Tonga was starting this programme and they would need my help.”

‘Akata Finau is in her second year of the programme. She started as a dental assistant and that grew into a desire to study dentistry to improve her skills and expand her knowledge. 

“I have learned that I am more capable than I thought. I’ve become more confident and responsible, and I’ve also learned to work better with others. Not only that, but I realized that I really enjoy helping patients and learning more about dentistry.”

That same confidence is evident in Greylynn Lau’i who previously worked as a dental assistant. His late brother was a dentist and wanted to follow in his footsteps.

DOWNLOAD

“This programme will firstly educate myself to maintain a healthy oral hygiene lifestyle and be cavity free before helping other people in my community to keep their teeth clean. What I have learned here will be crucial in the future to help keep the public’s teeth clean and free of cavities.”

‘Ana Kata Fauonuku discovered her passion for dentistry after learning how having healthy teeth helps people feel more confident. 

“I am now motivated to help improve dental services in my country and I’m passionate about helping people gain their confidence through better oral health.” 

While this programme is off to roaring start, it isn’t without challenges – challenges being overcome by the dedication of students and their teacher alike.

“We only have two exam chairs for fourteen students so we're struggling just a little bit with our lab time. Their skill pass offs take about one half hour per skill, per student,” says Kathleen Young. 

DOWNLOAD

“We were talking in class about using the spring break to do schoolwork in the clinic. In other words, not have a break. That’s how it's going to have to be because we just aren't going to be able to get it all done without that.” 

She’s quick to point out they also couldn’t get it all done without the help of Dr. Na’ati Fakatava who’s learning how to teach the curriculum. She's a firm believer in the programme.

“Gingivitis and Periodontitis is a common disease burden to our people. This programme will strengthen the work force, providing dental hygienists to tackle this disease, increase awareness to target audiences not only in hospital, but throughout the communities. This is a blessing to the people. This would be the first lot of dental hygienists specifically trained for this purpose.”

Only a few months into her 12-month mission, Kathleen is already looking to the future of the programme and has this heartfelt request: “We need volunteers to keep this moving forward. If you have a background in dental medicine or dental hygiene, you’re just what we need here in Tongatapu.” 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Caring Report provides more details about how the Church supports communities in the South Pacific. This support is in keeping with the Saviour, Jesus Christ’s two great commandments – to love God and to love our neighbour (Matthew 22:36-40).