The ongoing genocide in Gaza has devastated essential infrastructure, including the health and education sectors. Universities, teaching hospitals, and professional training facilities have been damaged or destroyed, leaving dental students without learning spaces, equipment, or clinical placements.
As a result, an entire generation of future dentists — the professionals who would treat patients, strengthen health systems, and support community wellbeing — faces disruption to their education and uncertain futures.
Refugee Crisis Foundation in partnership with PalMed Academy and our academic collaborators, is working to rebuild dental education in Gaza. This initiative ensures that students can complete their training, graduate, and step into clinical roles that serve their communities.
Before the genocide, the dental faculties at Al-Azhar University and the University of Palestine produced highly skilled graduates who went on to serve in clinics and hospitals across Gaza. Today:
Clinical training facilities have been damaged or rendered unusable
Laboratory spaces required for pre-clinical education no longer function
Dental chairs, imaging units, and training equipment have been destroyed
Graduating students are unable to fulfil clinical requirements, jeopardising their future careers
Without intervention, hundreds of students risk dropping out entirely — further weakening a health system already under extreme pressure.
Our Response
RCF and PalMed Academy are implementing a three-phase, institution-aligned rebuilding strategy for both universities:
We have already:
Restored core training infrastructure at Al-Azhar University and the University of Palestine
Rehabilitated physical space for learning and clinical activity
Provided initial dental instruments, IT equipment, and essential utilities
This foundational work has enabled both pre-clinical and early clinical education to resume within a safe, functional environment.
What’s Next
To fully re-establish dental education at scale — and ensure that students can graduate on time — we now need to complete the installation of clinical capacity and expand training opportunities:
Establish fully equipped clinical training sites with dental chairs, sterilisation units, and radiography
Enable supervised patient care, allowing students to complete clinical requirements
Support faculty capacity building, ensuring quality and continuity of teaching
Strengthen systems for clinical assessment, evaluation, and ongoing mentorship
This next phase will translate infrastructure into graduates and impact — providing care to patients while building the next generation of dental professionals.
Why This Matters
Education is a lifeline — for students, families, and communities
Every dental graduate increases local access to care
Trained dentists help reduce suffering from pain, infection, and untreated disease
Restored education supports economic recovery and societal stability
By rebuilding dental education, we are not just restoring buildings and supplies — we are restoring hope, opportunity, and dignity.
How You Can Help
Your support will directly enable:
The procurement of clinical dental equipment
The refurbishment of teaching and clinical facilities
Supervised clinical training for student dentists
Scholarships, supervision costs, and sustainability programmes
Donate today to rebuild futures and strengthen Gaza’s health workforce.
Your contribution helps students graduate, families stay healthy, and communities thrive.
