First-ever school dental clinic opens in Vanuatu

This year, Vanuatu’s Port Vila witnessed a dental clinic spring seemingly out of the ground, following an energetic push from multiple parties to do something about the declining dental health of Vanuatu schoolchildren.

WORDS Sarah Atkins. President, No Borders Rotaract

The newly minted Pikinini Playtime school dental clinic didn’t waste time getting underway. Minutes after the opening ceremony concluded on 22 May, Dr Elizabeth Webb and Dr Ross Stewart were assisting their first patients – three schoolchildren in their mid-teens.

The clinic, where services are provided free of charge by volunteers, was suggested by Dr Webb to Dr Phil Saxby of the Rotary Club of Hamilton, Qld, who subsequently brought together the many partnerships and resources needed to make it a reality. After a spectacular show of cooperation, the clinic was ready to roll less than a year after the original conception.

A project of this magnitude does not progress from an initial concept in mid-2024 to a reality in May 2025 without a considerable vision followed by detailed planning, coordination, cooperation and execution,” said Phil, thanking a collection of 35 individuals and companies for the provision of tools, installations, equipment and navigation of the large pile of paperwork required to get the clinic up and running.

Permission for the establishment of the clinic was granted by Director General of Health Shirley Tokon on 13 February 2025. Dental equipment, lighting and all furniture was donated by Dr Angelo Cavallaro, an orthodontist in Ipswich, and Port Vila Electric completed all electrical installations within a single day.

The real magic was the host of hydraulic and HVAC systems, including the dental chairs, all being installed by Phil himself. Phil has been a Rotarian for almost 30 years and has donated massive swathes of time and resources to upscale Vanuatu’s healthcare infrastructure.

The Pikinini Playtime clinic has proved a successful flagship for future projects. Continuing the partnership between Rotary, Kiwanis and Pikinini Playtime’s campuses, the team has already started planning for two further clinics to be installed at the Santo and Tanna Pikinini campuses in the coming years.

Long-term, this free dental program will prove to be a significant game changer for the oral health of all Ni-Vanuatu,” Phil said, adding that it was a “delight” to see the first patients treated.

“Manned full time, it will fix [the dental health of] every child in Port Vila within a year.”

Pikinini Playtime’s business manager, Tony Batten, is similarly thrilled by the positive impact the clinic will have for his students.

“When you see smiling children in Port Vila, it is highly likely that you have contributed to keeping that smile on that child’s face by providing them with free dental care,” Tony said.

Within 24 hours Rotary had agreed to the proposal and the project was underway. To all of you within Rotary, you have done an outstanding job!”