GSDM Students Travel to Gracias, Honduras, to Provide Dental Care
This past September, two Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) students volunteered their time and talent treating Honduran residents in a very small, remote town called Gracias. During the week of Sept. 13–20, Stephanie Leung DMD 15 and Thomas Mosley DMD 15 participated in an externship under the guidance of Medical, Eye, and Dental International Care Organization (MEDICO), a nonprofit humanitarian service organization based in Austin, Texas, that has provided comprehensive health care in Central America since 1990. Its mission is to deliver medical, eye, and dental care and educational services to people in developing countries who have little or no access to health care.
Prior to their arrival in Gracias, Leung and Mosley admitted that they didn’t know what to expect and what oral-related challenges they would see in such a remote location. Since Honduras has a population of 8 million, with 65 percent of the population at or below poverty and a physician density of 57 physicians per 1,000 people, they felt it was safe to assume they would be exposed to somewhat complex cases.
Their assumptions were confirmed on the first day the makeshift dental treatment center opened, when patients began lining up to be seen in the early morning hours. Working under the supervision of and alongside MEDICO’s President, Dr. Robert Gurmankin and GSDM alum, Jahan Monirian DMD 13, Leung and Mosley hit the ground running providing amalgams, cleanings, composites, and a large number of tooth extractions.
Extensive tooth decay was common among the patients. Dental floss is very hard to come by in the region and the students noted that the majority of patients had already undergone multiple tooth extractions in the past and many specifically requested more due to continuing pain. At the end of the week, the team had seen a total of 364 patients. They performed 204 extractions, 112 composites, 143 cleanings, and 55 amalgam restorations (mainly in the back teeth).
When asked how the trip to Honduras contributed to their education, Mosley said, “A lot more practice.” He continued, “There were a limited number of providers and an unlimited number of patients waiting to be seen. The volume of hands-on patient contact each day was eye-opening.”
Leung added, “As GSDM students, work integrity is paramount. Due to the high volume of patients we saw in Honduras, we learned to think fast and work efficiently, while providing excellent dental care.”
Dean Hutter commended Leung and Mosley, “I appreciate and applaud their enthusiasm and willingness to volunteer for this elective externship to Honduras,” he said. He continued, “I am very proud of all of our students who commit to serving those in need.”’
Photos are available on Facebook and Flickr.