How Volunteering Inspired Nikki to Do More

When Nikki first traveled to Kenya in 2014, she had been practicing dental hygiene for just three years. A friend of hers mentioned an opportunity to provide preventative care in underserved communities, and with her adventurous spirit, she jumped at the chance. She flew across the world to work alongside a dentist she had never met, trusting that her desire to help would guide her.

Upon arrival, the shift from a fully equipped Canadian practice to a resource-limited setting was immediate and humbling.

“I remember thinking, these three weeks are going to be very different from my comfortable hygiene job in Canada, where everything I need is right at my fingertips.”

— Nikki Parker

Their supplies were minimal, and when a locally purchased compressor wouldn’t run, the team improvised. Nikki adapted quickly, using cups of distilled water for rinsing and doing her best without suction.

They first set up in a rural orphanage, where nearly 80 children lined up, excited and unafraid. The kids climbed onto a makeshift dental chair and opened wide without hesitation. What overwhelmed her most was how much work each child needed. The buildup on their teeth was significant, and she felt she could stay for months just to properly care for those 80 school-aged kids. Instead, she only had one week.

*Photo courtesy of Nikki Parker*

“These moments with the kids are the ones that stayed with me and reminded me why I needed to do more”

Nikki soon realized that treatment alone wasn’t enough. On the last day, she made a turning-point decision.

“I could scale and clean their teeth as much as possible, but without proper knowledge and daily habits, it wouldn’t last. The plaque and calculus would just come back. So I shifted my focus to education and teaching them how to care for their own teeth.”

— Nikki Parker

That moment changed how Nikki saw her work. She didn’t just want to “clean” teeth; she wanted to make a meaningful, lasting difference.

Nikki’s photos, stories, and impact reached Mandy, the founder of World Health Outreach, who was feeling a pull herself to help in other parts of the world. Mandy was deeply moved by Nikki’s experience and recognized that lasting impact could only happen if communities were empowered. That belief became the foundation of Mandy’s work as she began building sustainable, community-led oral health programs. These initiatives grew, strengthened, and proved successful.

As Mandy’s partnerships expanded, she reached out to Nikki, knowing Nikki’s heart for prevention and education aligned perfectly. Nikki returned to Kenya to volunteer again, this time alongside her husband, and today, as a founding board member, she helps guide World Health Outreach toward a future where communities lead and oral health education creates lasting change.

Nikki brings: