Africa Unites to Transform Dental Education with Launch of Continental Association

What began as a vision two years ago culminated in a landmark event as representatives from 24 African nations gathered on July 11-12, 2025, at Université Mohammed VI des Sciences de la Santé (UM6SS) in Casablanca for the inaugural African Dental Education Symposium. 

The event marked the creation of the African Education Dental Association (AEDA), a pioneering continental body aimed at transforming dental education and healthcare across Africa.

The urgent need for such an association is emphasized by alarming statistics from the World Health Organization: Africa has just 0.44 dentists per 10,000 people, far below the approximately 7 per 10,000 found in many high-income countries. The continent operates only 84 dental schools across 26 nations, contributing to nearly 42% of Africans living with untreated oral diseases as of 2021.

Initiated by Professor Ihsane Benyayha, Dean of UM6SS Dental School, and supported by international surgical charity Mercy Ships, the symposium united deans and directors from dental schools continent-wide. This gathering was a milestone in fostering cooperation, innovation, and sustainable dental education programs.

Professor Benyayha emphasized, “We, as African leaders, professors, and dentists, must help each other. We have American and European Dental Education Associations, why not an African one?”

Dr. David Ugai, Mercy Ships Country Director for Guinea, added, “It is unacceptable for any country to have one dentist per million people. Now is the time to solve this.”

The African Dental Education Association, modeled after associations in the U.S. and Europe, will provide a unified voice for African dental educators, enabling the sharing of best practices and fostering long-term collaboration.

Professor Mohamed Siddick Fadiga from Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry, Guinea, remarked, “This symposium turns a dream into reality. It enables African dental schools to join forces and speak with one voice.”

The event also featured global dental leaders from the FDI World Dental Federation, the American Dental Education Association, and the Association for Dental Education in Europe, offering their support as African institutions take the lead in transforming dental education.

Since 2025, Mercy Ships has partnered with UM6SS to support the advanced specialization training of over 20 dental professionals from Guinea, Benin, and Madagascar. Graduates will return to their home countries equipped to teach, mentor, and expand dental care access.

“This symposium is historic, the first time so many African dental schools have convened in one country to address shared challenges,” said Professor El Hadj Babacar Mbodj, Dean of UCAD Dental School, Senegal.

Mercy Ships’ collaboration extends continent-wide, supporting infrastructure expansion, clinical training, and faculty development in multiple countries:

• Guinea: Partnership with Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry has doubled training capacity.
• Senegal: Expansion at Université Cheikh Anta Diop will increase clinical chairs from 30 to over 70.
• Togo: Establishing the first dental simulation and clinical training space at the University of Lomé.
• Benin: Training educators to reopen the only dental school closed in 2018 due to lack of resources.
• Burkina Faso: New partnership to support faculty development at growing dental schools.
• Madagascar: Sponsoring specialization training to create future dental professors.
• Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia: Student exchange programs expanding dental workforce capacity.

Professor Jeannot Randrianarivony, Dean of University of Mahajanga Dental School, Madagascar, reflected, “Thanks to Mercy Ships, we have hope for the continuity and survival of dental education through trained graduates returning as teachers.”