Bodh Gaya:The Faculty of Dentistry at Chiang Mai University, in collaboration with volunteer doctors, is preparing for the third year of the Royal Dental Mobile Unit's operations in Bodh Gaya, India. The team will pay homage to the Bodhi Tree at the Mahabodhi Temple, a revered site for Buddhists globally.
According to Thai News Agency, the Royal Dental Unit and volunteers from Chiang Mai University have already visited the Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya to pay respects before opening their dental service unit. This initiative aims to provide dental care to Buddhist monks and lay Buddhists at the Thai Buddhist Temple in Bodh Gaya.
The team has arrived at Wat Thai Buddhagaya in India to prepare the Royal Dental Clinic, which will be operational from October 25-30, 2026. This effort honors Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, and Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha, marking the third consecutive year of this charitable mission.
On their first day, October 25, 2026, the group prepared the venue and equipment at the Buddha Hospital, Wat Thai Bodh Gaya, to offer dental services to Buddhist monks, nuns, and Thai Buddhists engaged in religious duties in India.
Before starting operations, Phra Bodhivites Vajravisutthi, Abbot Niphon, the Head of the Office of Buddhist Missionaries for India and Nepal, led a team of dentists, medical volunteers, and other volunteers in a customary practice of paying respects at the Bodhi Tree. This tradition is believed to ensure smooth operations and bring good fortune for the mission.