Presented by:
Burton Coleman &
Punit Shah


Burton Coleman:
UTHSC College of Dentistry, 2012
Punit Shah:
University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, 2013
Recent Outreach Experiences: Guatemala May/
August 2011

In La Reforma, Guatemala
Been 4 times to date, twice a year

A few pictures:


Pros:





Eye opening experience
Potential to learn a lot beyond what you might
learn in clinic
Changing peoples lives (cliché but personally
my appreciation for dentistry grew
exponentially)
Fun
Cons:


Expensive (~$1300 - $1500)
Need support (faculty, locally, etc.)




Just do it.
PLAN EARLY!
KEEP THE END IN MIND & DON’T GIVE UP
REWARD IS WORTH THE EFFORT

Need a place to go (Mr. Obvious)




Immunizations and medications:


Check on the CDC’s website
Faculty / dentist support:


Need local support (friend, family, faculty, etc.)
Make sure it’s legal to work there
Safe (everyone should be comfortable going)
Check with your school’s policy
Enjoy:

You’re traveling to another country, save time to
explore and enjoy what they have to offer.

Get together a reasonable sized group (810), fewer is better & easier to manage.



Ground transportation is usually limited
Attending (faculty/mentor) – sustainable?
Native Dentist (facilitate communication,
pt coordination, & legal implications)





Safety of travel to & within country
Political climate
Tourist destination?
Crime?
Immunizations – prophylactic meds + DEET

Volunteerism Listings


www.adint.org/international-programsvolunteerism.htm
http://internationalvolunteer.ada.org/


Country by country basis
Once you know what country you would
like to visit, contact their governing body to
help determine areas of need and existing
groups to work with.





Logistically, you will need to establish
transportation, food, and lodging
If you are working with an agency, clinic or
local dentist this will be much easier
Generally, staying locally will cut down on
overall costs.
Don’t automatically write off staying in the
community you are treating
By staying within the community, you can
establish trust and build relationships that
will solidify the future of the program.



If you are coming into a new community
you need to think about post-op
Retained root-tips, infection, and
miscommunication with the community are
the most common reasons trips are not
repeated from year-to-year.
Working with the community can establish
a presence that can manage the post-op
complications if they arise.





Work with the community dentist and the
existing clinic for help.
While you will likely have antibiotics in case
of travelers GI issues, you will learn more
and provide more care if you don’t need
them
Plan to have this be your most significant
expense once you have arrived.
Prophylactic Pepto Bismol & Imodium PRN
Be conscious – water supply









Scrubs, gloves, masks
A head lamp is a necessary.
Anesthesia + Needles
Elevators/Forceps/Root Picks/Cryers/#15/Gut
Tongue Blades (exam), plastic bag, gauze,
paper towels
Fluoride
Tooth Brushes (x1000)
Restorative (handpiece, amalgamator?)
Glutaraldehyde + Bleach Wipes + EtOH gel



Preventative / Limited / Restorative?
No vacuum
Biohazard waste (plastic bags)






How many pts will you realistically be able to
see? A LOT WILL WANT TO BE SEEN,
UNFORTUNATELY, NOT ALL WILL
Coke is cheaper that water
Children with permanent 1st molar extractions
(Potentially) Med compromised elderly
Referrals (busier 2nd + 3rd day, etc.)
Work hard, BIG REWARDS