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������٠is proud to announce the 2025 recipients of the World Dental Development Fund (WDDF). Each year, the Fund supports three to five impactful projects with clear goals to promote oral health, prevent oral diseases, and strengthen care in communities with limited resources.

In 2025, ������٠recognizes outstanding initiatives from Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania, each making significant strides to improve oral health and well-being within their nations.
 

NOMALnutrition: integrating oral health into nutrition programmes in Oyo State, Nigeria 

The NOMALnutrition project is an initiative in Oyo State, Nigeria, designed to integrate oral health care into existing nutrition programmes. Implemented in partnership with six registered organizations already addressing malnutrition among vulnerable groups, such as children living on the street, the elderly, and rural populations, the project will directly serve about 500 people each month. It targets two main population groups: the first includes individuals currently enrolled in ongoing nutrition programmes who will receive oral health education, screening, and treatment alongside their nutrition interventions; the second comprises future beneficiaries of these programmes who will benefit from the continued inclusion of oral health components once integration has been achieved. 

Focusing on Noma, a severe oral disease linked to malnutrition and poverty, NOMALnutrition will train nutrition officers to identify common oral conditions, distribute oral hygiene kits alongside food supplements, and collect field data using WHO tools. By building oral health awareness and capacity within existing community programmes, the project aims to ensure long-term integration of oral health into nutrition initiatives across Oyo State and beyond. 

Integrating preventive oral health into the Chamas for Change Programme: a pilot study in Bungoma County, Kenya 

This pilot project’s goal is to integrate preventive oral health education and care into the Chamas for Change programme in Bungoma County, Western Kenya, a rural region where nearly half the population lives in poverty and access to dental services is extremely limited. Working through 15 existing Chamas groups, the project aims to reach 300 pregnant women in their first or second trimester and their 300 young children (ages 0–3), while training 30 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to deliver oral health education and basic preventive care. 

Building on the proven success of Chamas in improving maternal and child health through group-based education, peer support, and microfinance, this pilot will test how oral health can be effectively embedded into its first-year curriculum. The intervention targets the critical “first 1,000 days” from pregnancy to age two, when maternal oral health directly influences child health outcomes. Using WHO’s Basic Package of Oral Care and the RE-AIM implementation framework, the study will evaluate feasibility, impact, and scalability. By leveraging the trusted Chamas platform, this project aims to break intergenerational cycles of poor oral health and create a replicable community-based model for integrated care across Kenya and beyond. 

Strengthening oral health awareness through engagement of dental therapist students in Tanzania 

This project aims to improve oral health awareness and care among 3,000 children aged 6–14 across Mbeya, Iringa, and Tanga regions of Tanzania. Led by Miracle Corners Tanzania in partnership with local health colleges, the initiative combines school-based education, screenings, and free dental treatment for at least 600 students, while training 90 final-year dental therapist students in community outreach, leadership, and preventive care. 

Addressing Tanzania’s critical shortage of oral health professionals and limited access to dental services, the project will engage students in hands-on fieldwork to provide education and treatment. Sustainability is ensured through integration of outreach into dental school curricula, establishment of oral health clubs in participating schools, and ongoing collaboration with local authorities. By empowering both children and future dental professionals, the project seeks to build lasting oral health awareness and strengthen community-based care systems across the three regions. 

������٠commends the organizations leading these initiatives and is confident that, with the support of the WDDF, their work will continue to drive meaningful and lasting improvements in oral health within their communities.

The World Dental Development Fund is supported by Shofu.