ASDOH students return to Mexico to help the underserved
Posted: June 10, 2011
For a second time in six months, ASDOH students and faculty traveled to Clinica Betel in Atoyac, Mexico, to provide services to the medically underserved residents of this rural town. Eleven dental students, one AEGD resident, and two ASDOH faculty members left Jan. 8 for the seven-day mission trip.
ASDOH student volunteers became involved because of Tim Lukavsky, D.D.S., assistant professor, ASDOH. This is the 14th year that Dr. Lukavsky has participated in the project sponsored by Latin World Ministries. Eric Harris, D.D.S., ASDOH adjunct faculty member, also participated in the trip.
Upon arriving in Atoyac, a small town located about two hours from Acapulco, students met up with 25 other healthcare professionals including general surgeons, plastic surgeons, optometrists, nurses, and other volunteers from Louisiana and Texas.
“Each day, we were up by 7 a.m. and headed to the clinic to be amazed by the line of patients that had been arriving all night to receive treatment,” said ASDOH third-year dental student Tanner Flaherty. Students worked until 8 p.m. each night.
“This trip, we were able to bring more students, which allowed us to see more patients and provide more treatment to each patient,” Flaherty said. “It wasn’t uncommon to do five to 10 fillings and one to four extractions on one patient.”
Provided treatment included fillings, extraction, partial dentures made into complete dentures, root canal therapy, and cleft palate surgeries.
By the end of the week, the ASDOH group had treated 250 patients. “The group of students worked hard and made this a memorable experience,” said Dr. Lukavsky.
“My fellow classmates and I were reminded from this experience that behind every tooth there is a person who appreciates the knowledge and talent we have to provide them with care,” Flaherty added.