A New Vision Underway: Africa’s Dental Leaders Launch a Groundbreaking African Education Dental Association

In the halls of Université Mohammed VI des Sciences de la Santé (UM6SS) in Casablanca, Morocco, there’s an unmistakable energy. Many of the leading deans, program directors, and faculty from across Africa have gathered for a historic occasion. They met in Morocco for the inaugural African Dental Education Symposium, which culminated in the launch of the African Education Dental Association (AEDA), the continent’s first collaborative association committed to advancing dental education.

Turning a Dream Into Reality

The vision for this symposium was first imagined in 2023 by Professor Ihsane Benyayha, Dean of the UM6SS dental school. Two years later, Mercy Ships partnered with UM6SS to bring that dream to life, welcoming leaders from 24 different African nations spanning from Morocco to Madagascar.

The event’s purpose was clear: to assemble Africa’s dental educators, more committed than ever to building stronger academic programs, sharing their resources, and increasing access to training across borders.

The creation of the African Education Dental Association (AEDA) marks a major milestone. Inspired by similar associations in the United States and Europe, the AEDA will bring African nations together to support curriculum development, faculty exchange, and student training, all while advocating for stronger dental health systems in Africa.

“The African population deserves oral health. These populations deserve to have dentists with competencies and with equipment, which is not always simple. It’s not always achievable. But I think with this collaboration, we can teach our specialists to become good professors for dentists in African countries,” said Professor Benyayha.

Meeting a Critical Need

The need for an association of this kind is pressing. Many African nations face a critical shortage of dental professionals. According to the World Health Organization, there are just 0.44 dentists per 10,000 people in Africa, compared to around 7 per 10,000 in many high-income countries. Only 84 dental schools operate across 26 African nations, likely contributing to the fact that, as of 2021, around 42% of Africa’s population have untreated oral diseases.

“We’re at a time where it should no longer be acceptable for any country to have one dentist per 1 million people. Now is the time to solve this issue and overcome this problem. All the stakeholders and leaders we need are in this room. We need to ask ourselves, how can we take the next step to creating enough dentists for all of the people who need them?” said Dr. David Ugai, Mercy Ships Country Director for Guinea.

Alongside African university leaders, representatives from the FDI World Dental Federation, American Dental Education Association, and Association for Dental Education in Europe participated, offering their support for African-led solutions.

“We have taken the first step toward an African Education Dental Association,” shared Symposium speaker Dr. Greg Chadwick, President of the FDI World Dental Federation. “Now, Africa, we need your collaboration and determination so that we can all benefit from the wider dental conversations that are on the horizon.”

Mercy Ships’ Role in Strengthening Capacity

Mercy Ships’ support of the symposium is part of its bigger mission: bringing hope and healing through both direct surgical care and long-term education, training, and advocacy. Mercy Ships is committed to strengthening healthcare systems by equipping professionals to serve their own communities.

In Morocco, Mercy Ships is currently sponsoring more than 20 dental professionals from Guinea, Benin, and Madagascar to earn advanced specialization at UM6SS. Once they graduate, these dentists and technicians will return home to become the next generation of educators and mentors, strengthening their nation’s dental infrastructure for years to come.

“In the school’s years of existence, we have never thought about the next generation of teachers. But thanks to this partnership with Mercy Ships, we have hope for the survival of the school with the continuity of these young graduates who will return with their diplomas to our country. So, this partnership, for us, is very precious,” shared Professor Jeannot Randrianarivony, Dean of the University of Mahajanga Dental School in Madagascar.

A Shared Commitment Across Africa

Throughout the symposium, participants took the theoretical to a tangible level. They launched breakout groups to discuss how to collaborate across borders by developing shared training standards, opening internship opportunities between countries, and identifying common challenges. For countries without dental schools, like Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea Bissau,

the AEDA may become a starting point for changing their future through greater collaboration, shared resources, and community support.

“This is the realization of a great dream… this symposium is a necessity because everyone was in their own countries, working in isolation. But thanks to the symposium, we will be able to join forces, combine efforts, and try to share our points of view. Cooperation between African countries will allow the various dental schools in Africa to speak with one voice,” said Professor Mohamed Siddick Fadiga, Head of the Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry dental school in Guinea.

Looking Forward To the Future With Hope

The creation of the African Education Dental Association marks a hopeful turning point for the future of dental care in Africa. For Mercy Ships, this work is part of the mission to follow the 2,000-year-old model of Jesus by bringing hope and healing to those who need it most.

As the association takes shape and partnerships deepen, Mercy Ships will continue to support nations in Africa by building strong, resilient health systems, one qualified dentist at a time. Transformation doesn’t happen overnight; it happens over the course of years, through partnerships that are built to last. In the African spirit of Ubuntu — “I am because we are.”