A KIND-HEARTED dentist and her dental nurse will be jetting off to Africa next month to put a smile on the faces of toothache-suffering Tanzanians.

Dr Anna Sharvin and nurse Louise Collier are heading to Tanzania for a two-week mercy mission to provide much-needed dental treatment to some of the country's 40-million inhabitants.

Despite having the same population as Spain, Tanzania has only 44 trained dentists, and millions of people have been forced to suffer for years without treatment.

On their two-week stay, Anna and Louise will be providing much-needed pain relief, as well as training some of the country's clinical officers in the best dental practices and techniques.

Dr Sharvin, a surgeon at the Old Dental Surgery in Hungerford Road, said: "We're really looking forward to it because it will be very rewarding work, although it will also be a real eye-opener.

"There will obviously be a lot more disease and infection to be treated because some people have been forced to suffer without care for years, so it will be a challenge.

"We'll be working in little more than a hut, without electricity - we'll have to use a torch.

"The conditions will be hot and dusty, most of the equipment over there is provided by charity."

Anna and Louise's mercy mission has been organised by Bridge 2 Aid, a UK charity which works to improve dental health care in the African country.

Before jetting off on October 10, the pair need to raise around £2,800 funding, and they are appealing for kind-hearted donors to come forward.

Anna added: "People have been suffering for years because they have no access to dental care.

"We want to go out there and set up surgeries to take away their pain."

Anyone interested in sponsoring Anna and Louise should call 01270 587820.