Community Oral Health Outreach Project (COHOP)

COHOP has been making a difference in the oral health experience of local communities for over 30 years. The oral health services are offered on fully equipped mobile dental trucks and the project has now been adopted as an extended teaching platform. Students get an opportunity of treating patients such as the elderly, children and individuals with disabilities. The clinical working conditions in the truck are similar to those in the clinic, infection control is maintained to the highest standard and student assessment is of the same quality as that in the fixed wits dental clinic. Services offered in the mobile unit include; emergency care, extractions, restorations, scaling & polishing and oral health education.

The outreach project not only strengthens our teaching but provides a wonderful research environment that allows us to generate knowledge and also address oral health problems communities are facing. Research finding are often disseminated to communities concerned, to the Gauteng Oral Health Directorate and also published in local and international journals.

Co-ordinator: Dr Yolanda Malele-Kolisa (HOD - Community Dentistry)
Tel: (011) 717 2593
Email: Yolanda.Kolisa@wits.ac.za