Mission

CDF is privileged to prayerfully and financially support those of our members who are serving overseas.

Although CDF is not a sending agency, it encourages its members to support international dental work as well as making members aware of opportunities to serve overseas, both on a short-term and long-term basis.

Debbie and Julian Hardyman

Debbie and Julian Hardyman have been working in Northern Madagascar since May 2023 with SIM. They are based at the Good News Hospital www.mandritsara.org.uk where Debbie has set up a new dental service. It is a remote area and it seems that almost everyone has poor dentition! There is a huge need for oral health promotion as well as for compassionate and safe treatment. Julian is working alongside local church leaders and is involved in going out to villages for teaching and evangelism. We are working hard on language acquisition and are feeling a part of life here.
 
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James and Anna Hunter

James and Anna, along with children Max and Phoebe, are a family from the UK preparing for an exciting move to West Africa! In 2025 they are planning to relocate to Liberia on the Atlantic coast, to serve with the mission organisation SIM (Serving in Mission). James will be working at Trinity Dental Clinic, and teaching at the Liberia Dental Therapy School, and Anna is looking forward to helping wherever she can, alongside caring for Max and Phoebe. In agreement with SIM’s “Convinced” statement, the Hunters believe that no one should live and die without hearing God’s good news, and that he has called them to make disciples of Jesus Christ in communities where he is least known. Their prayer is that they will be able to show Jesus’ love to the people of Liberia as they undertake this work. 

You can read a bit more about the Hunter family on their website www.thehuntersinliberia.co.uk

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Sign up for James and Anna's newsletter here

Tony and Ann Giles

Tony and Ann are from Bedfordshire. Tony is an Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon, retired from the NHS. Ann is a nurse.

Together they have served in Sub-Saharan Africa since 1996, initially with Mercy Ships, improving quality of life for many people via head and neck surgery. Since 2016 they have worked in partnership with other international medical dental charities in training roles, especially with cleft lip & palate surgery, aiming to build capacity and sustainability.

In 2015 Tony & Ann each won a Points of Light Award from the UK Prime Ministers Office. To see details click here. They also have an ongoing attachment to The Hope Medical Centre in N’zao, Guinea.

Tony and Ann divide their time between Africa and coming home to see their six daughters and 13 grandchildren.

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Visit the Hope Medical Centre website

Lynne and Keith

Have the privilege of serving the church in West Africa. After many years overseas, they are now living in the UK where Keith works full time supporting local believers in their mission to bring God’s transforming grace to the unreached. This involves developing leadership and discipleship materials in local language, poverty relief, education, clean water, evangelism and church-planting.

Lynne is a Scottish dentist who has trained teams in West Africa to provide urgent dental care. The teams work where there is no dentist, in remote villages, prisons and refugee camps. They also share the good news of Jesus, often in very dangerous situations. The dental workers are highly respected for the quality, compassionate care they provide. Now UK based, Lynne remains available to the teams for remote consultation, visits regularly and raises support for the work.

Thank you for your prayers and support for the dental teams who are bringing healing and hope to the poor and neglected.

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For more information contact Lynne via CDF here

Simon and Grace Stretton-Downes

Simon & Grace Stretton-Downes are working in Health Ministries with Serving In Mission (SIM) at ELWA hospital in Liberia. They arrived in July 2017 and hoping to serve there for the next few years.

Simon teaches at the Liberia Dental Therapy School and works at Trinity Dental Clinic, alongside two Dental Nurse Practitioners, a Hygienist, two dentists and a great supporting staff. Alongside the extractions, there are root canals and composite fillings and a whole range of swellings, infections and traumatic injuries to deal with. There are opportunities to teach, train and encourage the team. 

Grace works three days a week in the hospital assisting with wound care, stores management and some small group teaching. Other times are spent on Home Management duties.

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Sign up for Simon and Grace's newsletter by emailing here

Short term dental mission opportunities

There are numerous short term dental mission opportunities around the world that CDF members are associated with. If you’re interested in going on a short term dental mission we hope you’ll find something of interest here. Follow the links for more information on the organisations.

If you have been on, or are going on a short term mission trip with an organisation not listed below, please get in touch so that we can update the short term dental missions list. If you are a student thinking about an overseas elective opportunity please contact us.

Contact CDF admin for more information

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