I’m Joshua, a newly qualified NHS dentist now working in Cardiff. I recently had an elective in Uganda through the Christian Dental Fellowship. Dentistry can often feel elitist and lucrative, and I wanted to see how the skills I’ve been given could be used for God. After prayer, planning, and passing my final exams, I found myself on a flight to Uganda.
First Impressions - It was an eye-opening experience. Healthcare was worlds away from the guidelines and systems I’ve been trained in. Poverty was widespread, yet God’s goodness was evident. There were faithful Christians and the same gospel being preached. I stayed with Dr Brian, a local Christian dentist.
On my first Sunday we were invited to speak at a school chapel service because of his links with the Anglican church and because being a dentist is highly regarded there. Over 200 students packed the classroom. I shared my testimony; Brian shared how God had saved him and raised him from being an orphan.
Church Life - Next Sunday I was at All Saints’ Cathedral, an Anglican church in Kampala. The worship was lively with lots of waving. The sermon based on the hymn “I heard the voice of Jesus say” was Christ-centred, sin was not ignored, and people called to repent and believe. Hearing the preacher quote Spurgeon was a good surprise.
Dentistry on the Ground - Over three weeks, our team treated around 1,000 adults and children in rural areas such as Soroti, Luwero, and Kabale. Often we worked in village churches, where long queues were already waiting. Typically, we began with the gospel, oral health teaching, and distributing toothbrush kits, before moving on to extractions and fillings. The need was immense: children in pain, adults with extensive decay. Access to care was very limited. Sterilisation was done in a pressure cooker on a gas hob, and treatment was carried out on plastic chairs with basic instruments — yet patients were deeply grateful. Dentistry became a way of showing Christ’s compassion and pointing people to the greater cure for sin.
A Vision for the Future - Dr Brian is establishing the Galilee Health Institute to train Christian dental therapists. Young people from rural areas and refugee camps will spend three years in dentistry and discipleship before returning to serve their communities with the gospel and care. They will also confront harmful practices such as infant oral mutilation and teeth pulled with unsterilised tools like nails, which spread infection and HIV. Much of this suffering stems from lack of education. The vision is inspiring but faces challenges in funding, equipment, and student support.
Open Air - I was encouraged to see faithful groups of street preachers boldly calling people to repent and believe, holding placards with verses like Eph 2:8. You could see many people carried Bibles, and it was striking to see Scripture verses printed openly on taxis and shopfronts.
Looking Back - This elective has left a deep mark. It reminded me that “to whom much has been given, much will be required.” Starting my career, it makes me far more grateful for the NHS. Please pray for the church in Uganda — that many would rise above empty tradition to truly know Jesus. Pray too for the Galilee Health Institute, that it may grow strong and that through it both the gospel and dental care would bear fruit in rural communities.
Joshua Quek
