A journey that touched the heart: Zimbabwe

In 2025, Perfection Plus, in partnership with our official charity partner SmileStar, ran a competition offering an incredible opportunity for a dental nurse to take a heavily subsided place to join an overseas outreach programme, providing critical dental care for hundreds of patients in underprivileged communities.

After reviewing many fantastic entries, the selection panel were delighted to choose Georgiana Vlad, a dental nurse from Hemel Smile Studios in Hemel Hempstead who at the time remarked, “I’m absolutely thrilled and so grateful to have been selected, I can’t wait to get started and be part of something so impactful!”

In March 2026, Georgiana joined the SmileStar team on their outreach programme to Zimbabwe, and this is her experience in her own words.

My recent journey to Zimbabwe was more than a trip. It was an experience that changed me in ways I will carry forever.

Our first three days at Mkhosana Clinic in Victoria Falls were intense and humbling. We treated over 700 patients, each one arriving with hope, patience, and the warmest smiles. Despite the pain many had endured for so long, they welcomed us with a kindness that is difficult to put into words. The hugs, the handshakes, and sometimes tears of happiness after being relieved of pain are moments I will never forget.

Our next stop was Hwange, where we held a two day clinic at Miombo Safari Camp and treated over 300 patients. Once again, the gratitude we received was overwhelming. People travelled unimaginable distances, some for over 36 hours by bus, others walking for more than seven hours, just to be seen. Yet they arrived with nothing but patience, resilience, and kindness. It was impossible not to feel deeply moved.

Our journey then took us on an eight hour trip to Matopos, to Ethandweni Children’s Home in Matobo. Originally, we had planned to run clinics for two days. However, being part of such an incredible and selfless team, we all agreed to give up our rest day to extend the clinic for an additional day. Together, we treated over 300 more patients, including the children from the home, and staff members, an effort that truly reflected the spirit of the team.

The home itself left a very special mark on me. It is built on a story of care, resilience, and community. The children are not only looked after, but empowered. They grow their own food, planting, gardening, and nurturing vegetables and fruits that sustain them. Each child has a role, a rotating list of chores, but what struck me most was how these responsibilities were carried out with laughter, with play, and with pride.

Even in conditions that many would find challenging, the children were full of life, smiling, laughing, and radiating happiness. It was both humbling and inspiring.

It was also incredibly special to see the Perfection Plus Teddy find a new home there. Watching the children welcome it with such excitement and joy was a beautiful moment, and it felt like leaving behind a small piece of love that would continue to bring comfort and smiles long after we had gone.

Every morning, getting to the clinic felt like stepping into something out of a dream. We would drive for 40 minutes through the breathtaking Zimbabwean bush, surrounded by raw, untouched beauty. Along the way, we were often greeted by elephants, giraffes, zebras, and even lions crossing our path, as if nature itself was accompanying us on our mission. Children would run towards us, waving and laughing, their joy so pure and infectious that it set the tone for the day ahead.

This journey reminded me of the power of human connection. Of kindness without expectation. Of resilience in its purest form. And of how even in the simplest moments, a smile, a wave, a hug, we can find something truly extraordinary.

On one of my days off, I joined Cimas Health Group, led by Dr Alan Gura, an organisation that has been the heartbeat of Zimbabwean healthcare since 1945, for an additional clinic day in Matabeleland. I wanted to immerse myself further, to meet more people, and to be part of another team equally dedicated to serving the community. That day, we treated over 100 patients, each interaction reinforcing just how meaningful this work is.

The SmileStar team was truly extraordinary. We came from different places, with different backgrounds and levels of experience, but were united by one simple purpose, to help. Some volunteers had never worked in dentistry before, yet they stepped into unfamiliar roles with courage, patience, and an openness to learn. Every challenge we faced, whether it was the heat, the pace, or the emotional weight of the work, we faced together.

What made this team so special was not just the work we did, but how we cared for one another while doing it. There was always someone ready with a reassuring word, a helping hand, or a moment of laughter when it was most needed. We lifted each other up on the hard days and celebrated the small wins together, the relieved smile of a patient, the quiet thank you, the moment pain turned into comfort.

We became more than colleagues. We became a family, built on kindness, respect, and a shared sense of purpose. I have never felt so supported, so understood, and so connected within a team. The love, compassion, and genuine care that flowed between us made even the longest, hottest days feel lighter.

Through our work, we provided immediate pain relief through extractions, along with aftercare, medication, and oral health advice. In total, we reached 1,752 patients, most requiring multiple extractions. The work was demanding and the African sun relentless, but somehow we did not feel it. What we felt instead was purpose, fulfilment, gratitude, and a deep sense that what we were doing truly mattered.

I would also like to say a huge thank you to Perfection Plus for sponsoring this truly life changing trip. This experience has shaped me in ways I am still beginning to understand, both personally and professionally. I feel incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to be part of this programme, to serve these communities, and to learn from every person I met along the way. It is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

A very special thank you to Dr Mitesh Badiani for organising this incredible journey and for giving me the opportunity to be part of it. His dedication and vision made this experience possible, and I am deeply grateful to have been included.

There is so much more I could share from this journey that words here can hardly capture. I feel as though I would need to write a book to truly do justice to all the experiences, the people, and the emotions we encountered!

Perfection Plus look forward to continuing to support the amazing work of SmileStar to bring smiles and a legacy of improved oral healthcare to communities across Africa, Asia and also the UK.

To learn more about the incredible work SmileStar are doing and to donate to this incredibly worthy cause or find out how you can get involved in a future outreach programme, follow @smilestarcharity on Instagram and visit www.smilestarcharity.com