KATHMANDU: A humanitarian dental clinic will operate at Everest Base Camp during the spring 2027 climbing season to provide free dental treatment to Sherpa guides, Icefall Doctors, porters and other high-altitude workers.

The Everest Lhotse Dental Expedition 2027 initiative and Seven Summit Treks Pvt Ltd signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday to establish the clinic, which will operate for about six weeks during the pre-monsoon climbing season.

Led by Dr Aizhan Zhumabayeva, a dental surgeon licensed in Turkey, Dubai and Kazakhstan, the initiative is an independent humanitarian medical mission. Under the agreement, Seven Summit Treks will serve as the official expedition and logistics partner in Nepal, while the expedition will retain responsibility for clinical decisions and medical activities.

The organisers said mountain workers involved in fixing ropes, maintaining routes through the Khumbu Icefall and carrying loads to higher camps have limited access to specialist dental care while working at altitude. The clinic is expected to provide up to 1,000 dental visits during the season.

The clinic will be housed in a heated and insulated tent equipped with three portable dental treatment units, a sterilisation system, power and clean-water facilities. Services will include simple and surgical tooth extractions, treatment of acute dental infections, emergency and clinically appropriate root-canal treatment, restorative treatment for cavities, fractures and lost fillings, dental trauma management, and preventive services including cleaning, fluoride treatment and oral-health education.

The medical team will comprise international and Nepali dental professionals, dental assistants, an emergency physician and an operations director. Up to 10 to 12 personnel will be based at Everest Base Camp at a time.

The team plans to reach Base Camp about a week before the main climbing groups to provide an early treatment window for Sherpas, Icefall Doctors and other support staff. Round-the-clock dental support is also planned during the main summit push.

“The people who make expeditions to the world’s highest mountains possible deserve access to healthcare where they work. Our goal is not simply to bring dentists to Everest Base Camp, but to establish a fully operational dental clinic and provide care throughout the entire Spring 2027 climbing season, working alongside Nepalese professionals,” Dr Zhumabayeva said.

All treatment will be provided free of charge to Sherpa and other high-altitude workers. Climbers and expedition members using the clinic will also receive treatment free of charge. Voluntary donations may be made to the Everest Dental Expedition Foundation, which plans to use the funds for future humanitarian dental missions.

The next planned mission is at Manaslu Base Camp in autumn 2027, with the longer-term aim of reaching remote villages and high-altitude monasteries with limited access to dental care.

Seven Summit Treks Director Chhang Dawa Sherpa said the company would provide the expedition and logistical framework in Nepal, including Base Camp infrastructure, cargo and helicopter logistics, permit and stakeholder coordination and local operational support. The expedition will manage the clinical team, equipment, medical materials and international partnerships.

“It is our great honour to support humanitarian aid like this,” Chhang Dawa said. “Having spent decades in mountaineering, I know that dental hygiene is one of the least prioritised things by high-altitude workers, and this will also help so many Sherpas and mountain workers realise the value of dental hygiene.”

The partners also aim to raise awareness of the contribution and healthcare needs of Sherpas and other high-altitude workers, promote responsible expedition practices and use the initiative's humanitarian and educational activities to showcase Nepal and the Everest region.

The expedition is also seeking Guinness World Records recognition for its high-altitude dental work. Thaneswar Guragai, General Manager of SST and a leading Nepali record holder, said the initiative was “truly one-of-a-kind” and a potential Guinness World Record contender.

“We are applying for the official GWR in three different titles on Dr Zhumabayeva as well as the initiative itself,” Guragai said.