Rebuilding Dental Education in Gaza

The war in the Gaza Strip has severely halted dental education for students in Gaza. In response to this crisis, PalMed Academy, in collaboration with Refugee Crisis Foundation, has been providing educational support program for the dental schools in Gaza. This initiative aims to provide these students with the necessary resources and clinical training to complete their education and ultimately become the future dental healthcare workforce in the Gaza Strip.

We are working directly with the Deans of the dental schools at Al Azhar University and the University of Palestine to rebuild dental education and training. There are a total of 1,591 dental students in Gaza who have been left without access to the essential clinical training required to complete their studies. 

Theoretical teaching is being provided by both universities and we are providing support with specific modules by seeking help from dental schools in the UK. All the students displaced outside of Gaza have secured clinical placements in several countries, including Pakistan and South Africa, and will receive their degrees from their respective universities in Gaza.

Urgent support and funding are required to support the students in Gaza with their clinical training. This initiative will directly benefit:

• The dental schools and universities in Gaza, ensuring they continue functioning and educating students. 
• Dental students, enabling them to complete their training, graduate, and strengthen the local healthcare workforce. 
• Teaching staff, who will receive stipends for supervising students, allowing them to continue working and supporting their families. 
• Patients in Gaza, many of whom have had limited or no access to free dental care since October 2023.

To enable students to complete their clinical training from year three to five, we will be supporting the universities by providing:

Dental Clinics

Without functioning dental clinics, students cannot complete their required clinical training. We will rent private dental clinics in Gaza City and Deir al-Balah, ensuring access to dental chairs and instruments. Patients will be treated free of charge, with supervision provided by university clinical tutors.

A total of 493 dental students in year four and five require need to complete their clinical training with supervision and provide dental treatment to patients in need. There are 208 students in year five in Gaza who need to meet their clinical requirements to graduate. Through this program, we will be able to graduate the final year students of which there 208 dental students over a period of three to five months, depending on clinical placement availability and funding.

Phantom Head Simulation Centre

The existing phantom head labs in Gaza have been destroyed and therefore students cannot learn clinical procedures. We will build new simulation labs to allow the pre-clinical students to learn clinical skills prior to treating patients. To address this, we will build new simulation labs. These labs will feature fully equipped phantom head stations, allowing pre-clinical students to develop their skills before treating patients.

The Impact

By donating, you’re not just supporting students—you're helping rebuild a dental healthcare system that has been devastated by conflict. You’re investing in the education of future dental professionals who will serve their communities and provide much-needed care to people who have limited access to oral healthcare.