ABOUT THE AFGHAN DENTAL RELIEF PROJECT
The Afghan Dental Relief Project is a 501c3 non-profit NGO founded in 2003 by Dr. James Rolfe, a practicing dentist in Santa Barbara, California. It was established to provide, primarily free, dental services and all supplies that are needed to accomplish these efforts.
Funding is primarily through donations along with a portion of Dr. Rolfe's dental practice salary. The clinic is staffed by volunteers from all over the globe and within Afghanistan. Practitioners trained by ADRP also volunteer lots of their time.
THE ADRP BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Afghanistan Dental Relief Project has a dedicated, all-volunteer board of directors from across the globe who donate their time and expertise in serving the project and help advance the dental infrastructure in Afghanistan. All our board members travel to Afghanistan regularly to help train, oversee, and to advance the mission of our project.
DR. JAMES ROLFE, DMD
FOUNDER
FOUNDER
Dr. James Rolfe is a dentist from Santa Barbara, California. He founded Afghanistan Dental Relief Project in 2003, first in the province of Wardak, Afghanistan. He quickly realized that there were many people in Afghanistan suffering from dental problems and could either not access good care or could not afford it and were dying from untreated tooth abscesses. He founded the project to treat many of the disadvantaged, such as the poor, orphans, widowed, and those who simply could not access dental care. In 2008, he moved the project to Kabul and, along with our clinic that provides free services, established a dental assisting program, a dental hygiene training course, and dental technician training all at no cost. In the winter of 2015, he opened our new modern clinic, which focuses on more advanced dental procedures. He is the winner of the 2010 U.S. National Award for Citizen Diplomacy. Aside from overseeing all activities of the project, he also stays busy in his own practice in Santa Barbara.
SAHER POPAL
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Saher Popal is an Afghan American dental and public health professional and the current President and Chief Executive Officer of the Afghanistan Dental Relief Project. She joined ADRP in 2015 after traveling to Afghanistan for the first time with a dream of using her skills to make a meaningful contribution to her parents’ homeland. During that visit, Saher fell in love with ADRP, its mission, and the communities it serves. Since then, she has remained deeply committed to improving the health and well-being of the Afghan people. She has traveled regularly between the United States and Afghanistan to oversee different phases of the project, train staff, strengthen clinic operations, and collaborate with government officials, healthcare professionals, and community partners.
Saher played a leading role in establishing ADRP’s school-based oral health project and maternal and child oral health program. She has also traveled internationally to support oral health education and community-based health programs in underserved communities worldwide.
Saher believes that oral healthcare is a fundamental and equal right for every person, regardless of income, location, or circumstances. Through her leadership, she continues to honor her connection to Afghanistan by helping build sustainable programs that serve its people with compassion, dignity, and hope.
DR. MARTIN KIM
PERIODONTIST, BOARD MEMBER
Dr. Kim is a periodontist from Vancouver, BC, Canada. He’s an active member of the dental community and an expert in his field. He has also been our main negotiator with the Afghan government. Aside from his own private practice he is also an instructor in the field of periodontology. He has been a part of the Afghanistan Dental Relief Project since 2012.
Dr. Kim volunteers his time and travels yearly to the clinic in Kabul and works closely with the clinic staff to help advance phases of the project. In addition, he has helped train the doctors on modern periodontal and oral surgery techniques. Dr. Martin has also worked closely with orphanages to provide oral health instructions and treatment at our clinic.
DR. ARYA YOUSUFI
ADRP BOARD MEMBER
Dr. Arya Yousufi is an Afghan general dentist from Denmark. With experience treating both children and adults, she believes that prevention, education, and compassionate care are the foundation of lifelong oral health
Following her volunteer mission, Dr. Arya joined the Board of the Afghanistan Dental Relief Project and continues to support the organization through voluntary work. She has also organized an oral health prevention campaign, raising funds to provide toothbrushes and toothpaste for children and adults in Afghanistan, helping to promote better oral hygiene and prevent dental disease.
100% of donations are applied directly to the Project expenses
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