FaceForward is a project aiming to help address the oral and facial needs of the refugee population in Jordan. Many are living with the physical, mental and social consequences of untreated facial injuries and other head and neck conditions.
By providing of oral and maxillofacial surgery, basic dental care and oral health education, the project aims to enable refugees to return to a better quality of life.
It was founded in 2021 by Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery (OMFS) specialty trainee Shadi Basyuni, and OMFS consultant Mr Vijay Santhanam, part of Cambridge University Hospitals Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department.
Background to the project
There are more than 761,000 registered refugees in Jordan. 87% live in urban areas whilst 17% live in three camps – Zaatari, Azraq and Emirati Jordanian Camp. Many have fled war and armed conflict, and as a result, a large number have devastating injuries caused by explosives, shrapnel and blast injuries that often require maxillofacial surgery. Chemical warfare, prevalent during the ISIS period, has been linked to a higher incidence of cleft lip and palate among children.
Much of the refugee population has poor access to oral health care and it is estimated that 75% of 6-year-old Syrian refugees have untreated dental cavities that can lead to serious infection. Researchers have also noted that head and neck cancers in countries in the Middle East tend to present at a more advanced stage.
Project aims
The project aims to form a long-term, two-way partnership between the Addenbrookes-based Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery (OMFS) team and the Jordanian surgeons working on the ground in Amman, the capital city. This includes:
- providing surgeries for the refugee population
- establishing virtual multidisciplinary team meetings with collaborative teaching online and in-person
- developing educational and research partnerships in the region.
Find out what the team got up to during a 2023 scoping visit.
How it works
The project team is building relationships with the groups working on the ground in Amman, as well as identifying the hospitals and resources required to carry out surgeries.
It involves local organisations including Asia Development Training, a charity in Amman, that aims to help rehabilitate refugees who have suffered ballistic injuries. They will help to identify patients requiring surgery from their own patient base and through their links to the refugee camps in Amman, as well as providing support and psychological assessment of those undergoing surgery.
Can you help?
The FaceForward team are fundraising £12,500 to enable five refugees to have life changing facial surgery.
Working in partnership with Jordanian healthcare professionals, the team will exchange ideas for improving the oral health of refugees, promote multidisciplinary team working, and advocate for maxillofacial training in Jordan.
