This summer, in the Czech Republic, a dentist was arrested—and shut down immediately—much to the dismay of his patients. He had a reputation: fast, careful, affordable. But something just wasn’t right—he had no dental degree, never set foot in a school for it.
And he wasn’t alone. Similar cases surfaced months earlier in Antwerp and New York, and even on a tram in The Hague, where a fake dentist carried a suitcase full of drills and syringes. This Czech “dentist” had learned everything from YouTube, even the riskiest procedures—without ever having practiced them.
What does all this imply? Something about nerves of steel. Or wild confidence. Or uncanny ability. Or sheer passion. Above all, it shows the power of peer-to-peer learning.
Into this spirit steps SoAP in Nazareth, a neighborhood in Maastricht. Starting September 16, SoAP will test the idea of a YouTube-style community “school” called KAN—a place where neighbors teach what they know, build shared spaces like a kitchen, a music rehearsal corner, a spot for celebratory gatherings.