A dentist from Sunderland has helped improve the dental health of hundreds of villagers in a remote region of Peru .
Dr Dave Wilson and a team of dental professionals raised £1,245 to help dental professionals carry out 217 fillings and 306 tooth extractions for the people in Pamura and Asacasi in the Apurimac region, which is situated in the high Andes of Peru .
The dentist, who caters to dental patients at Olivers Dental Studio in East Herrington, is now looking to increase his fund-raising to at least £2,000 so that more Peruvians can benefit.
Dr Wilson explained that although the Apurimac region is very remote, the importation of cola drinks and sugary food is causing "huge" oral health problems.
Dr Wilson is part of the Dental Project Peru - a charity which provides emergency dental care and education to the most impoverished and rural areas of the South American country.
The project was set up by Jacqui Kotula in 2001. While travelling through South America she met many people suffering from a lot of pain due to advanced dental decay . To help ease the suffering, she encouraged other dentists to travel back with her to Peru .
Most of the team’s effort are focused in the Apurimac region, which according to Kotula, has a population of roughly 50,000 people and is currently only serviced by 2 Peruvian dentists, both of who are generally poorly equipped and non-mobile.
