SRW Accomplishments

THE "NO CAVITY CLUB" IN SIQUATEPEQUE, HONDURAS — October 2014

By Anne Schacherl

From October 31 to November 8, 2014, the dental team from Main Street Dentists in Verona, Wisconsin, had the privilege of caring for 145 patients at the clinic in Siguatepeque, Honduras. This included all the children who attend the local school, members of the teaching staff, the clinic's head physician, foster parents, orphans, guards, extended families connected with the Honduras clinic, and children from two orphan group homes. In addition, the local school reached out to seven older children attending a nearby school who had never seen a dentist. Our team was delighted to welcome and treat these children as well.

This year's team included Drs. John and Kate Schacherl, dental hygienists Denise Jacobsen and Tanya Kudinenko, and dental assistants Brenda Maxwell and Jean Foley. Each day, the team was assisted by Spanish-language interpreters who are fifth-grade students at the local school.

Over the past five years since the clinic was established, teams have traveled to Siguatepeque to provide care nearly every six months. At the beginning of this endeavor, Dr. Schacherl's goal was to work with the school community to teach the value of good dental health, especially preventive dental care. Most of the children first seen five years ago had never brushed their teeth, had never learned about the importance of oral health, and had never visited a dentist. Many had rampant decay, mostly in baby teeth, and more than a few were experiencing chronic dental pain — some so severe that their parents shared stories of how the pain kept them from sleeping through the night.

In those early days, treatment often meant anesthesia and hours of work for the teams, along with pain and fear for the young patients. Five years later, the results have been nothing short of remarkable. We were thrilled to see the children's improved oral health, along with the wonderful brushing and flossing habits they have developed. The local school children now brush after lunch each day at school with the help of their teachers, and they continue these healthy habits at home with their families. On this mission, many children were accompanied by both mom and dad, which was an added joy. We instructed parents in proper dental-care techniques and sent all family members home with new toothbrushes and floss.

The biggest and most exciting news was that nearly all of the children who had bravely undergone four-quadrant restorations in the past — many as recently as six months earlier — were cavity-free!

And then there is the clinic itself. Over the past several years, many improvements have been made to the dental clinic. The most recent addition was new air conditioning, which provided "asombroso" relief from the 90-degree heat and humidity. The two-room clinic now boasts four treatment chairs, along with dedicated areas for radiography, medical records, and sterilization. Plentiful storage cabinets have also been added, creating multiple supply stations. All these additions are significant improvements from the two-chair facility with a noisy indoor air compressor that we used just five years ago.

It is a true privilege to share our services with the people of Honduras. Each patient we see is deeply appreciative of the care they receive. With every trip, we see continued improvement, and that is incredibly gratifying. Our long-term goals are to train local Honduran dentists to use the clinic for the benefit of area patients and to recruit additional dentists, hygienists, and assistants to join future missions. If you are interested in learning more about this humanitarian work, either as a participant or by making a donation, please contact Dr. Schacherl at john.schacherl@gmail.com.

< READ PREVIOUS