Oral Health Care in Guatemala

FORCE FOR GOOD

Oral Health Care in Guatemala

Written By : Generations of Smiles Writers

Published: Apr 20, 2018

Smile Generation®-trusted offices are committed to providing oral health care to people across the world.
In April 2018, a group of eight volunteers partnered with the Pacific Dental Services® Foundation’s Dental Clinic to serve members of rural communities in Xenacoj, Guatemala. Over three days, over 125 people traveled rugged terrain—some for nearly two hours—to visit the clinic and receive donated dentistry. Furthermore, many of the patients were receiving oral health care for the first time at the clinic. Patients from ages five to seventy years old received treatment and expressed their gratitude for the chance to be treated.
Clinicians used their expertise to provided services ranging from extractions and restorations to cleanings. As a result, they performed a total of almost 5,000 in donated dentistry.
Finally, a special thanks to the team of volunteers: Dr. Bryan Graziano (Enchanted Hills Dentistry), Dr. Marisol King (Cottonwood Smiles), and Dr. James Mallory (Marketplace Smiles). We also had support members join the trip, including: Registered Dental Hygienist, Pavlina Jelezarov (Georgia), Erin Clark (California), Valerie Kendrick (Colorado), Jeff McHugh (California), and Mario Mariscal (California).
More volunteers will be making a trip to Fiji in June, as well as another trip to Guatemala in July, and Ethiopia in September. These trips give volunteers the opportunity to both meet and serve community members in-need of oral health care.
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