T. Bob’s 2022 Guatemalan Dental Student Mission Trip
ADI Report from 2022 T Bob’s Student Dental Mission Trip:
Most dental mission trips have been canceled for over two years now. Not so for the T. Bob dental student trip to San Raymundo, Guatemala, which brought 22 teammates for a week of service. The pre-trip was an occasion for the gathering of our ADI Component at the University of Francisco Marroquin School of Dentistry. An annual affair for working together, this year 6 ADI Fellows joined on-site at the Hospital Compound in San Raymundo with over 33 of their UFM senior dental students which included five new Pediatric Department Residents. Fellow Dr. Estuardo Zachrisson last year began the new Pediatric Residency Program. Pictured below with Fellow Dr. T. Bob Davis in the middle are some of the Fellows during the ADI Luncheon in the UFM Dental School. Dr. Zachrisson is ADI Regent and Dr. Rodrigues is ADI Vice-Regent.
Drs. Victor Hugo Argueta, Estuardo Zachrisson, T. Bob Davis, Jean Pierre Nunez, Estuardo Rodriguez.
A brief tour of the newest facilities and reunion with a former student (who is back as head of the new Esthetic Dentistry Department) was enjoyed as she recalled she and her dentist sister had been with us in the past for our mission to San Raymundo. The ADI Fellows are a dynamic and talented group of educators who do so much to encourage their students to be selfless in volunteering. In that all the school curriculum is in English, their students get a good chance to interact with our students as they work together in the clinic while fellowshipping during meals and evening events. We hired 15 local translators to guide the patients to better health as we cared for over 550 patients (mainly children).
Dr. T. Bob Davis and Dr. Ramiro Alfaro (UFM School of Dentistry founding Dean and first Central America ADI Regent) in the early days of planning coordination for students/faculty with our mission trip team.
Group of T. Bob’s Doctors and UFM Faculty ADI Fellows. New Dean Dr. Estuardo Mata is on the far left sitting beside then Dean Dr. Ramiro Alfaro. Dr. Estuardo Zachrisson, the current ADI Regent, is on the far right. Dr. T. Bob Davis is a Past President of ADI.
On the beautiful outside meeting area of the UFM Dental School Building with the inaugural Central America beginning chapter Fellows. Left to right, Dr.’s Vladimir Ivic, Ramiro Alfaro, Estuardo Zachrisson, T. Bob Davis, Victor Hugo Argueta, Jean Pierre Nuyens Stebler, Hugo Armas, and Luis Grisolia.
Two beautiful views of the San Raymundo Compound Hospital Courtyard’s 1st and 2nd floor (new dental clinic occupies over two-thirds of the 2nd floor).
A unique panoramic photo of the new 21 chairs portable dental clinic, demonstrating the wooden patient benches, the four-legged doctor/assistant stools, the equipment hanging on wall mounts, the portable wire roller supply carts, the portable sinks, and our team working with the clinic set up organizer/ director Dr. Bob Meyer overlooking his plans coming together. Dr. Jody Yarbro oversaw the hygiene department.
An inside the (L shape) clinic view of 1 day’s team during a break with both UFM and UT Houston students/doctors and other staff.
While in an international setting, it is wonderful to have the nearest local dental supply company to be available for last-minute purchases and technical support. Mr. Stefan Bruns of Imfohsa Dental Center Supply House in Guatemala City works with UFM School and us to provide valued support. Dedication of the new facility was delayed for 2 years due to COVID.
We had three Pediatric Dentists on the USA team, Drs. Dale Giebink, Dr. John Case, and Dr. Dylan Patrick. Dr. Patrick brought five of his office team from Tyler, Texas, and provided a 1-day specialty general anesthesia service, treating seven children who were unable to accept care due to the severity of their conditions. He hired two local MD anesthesiologists to provide the general anesthesia. This was a first for us and the dental students rotated through for observation.
The hospital attracts medical groups from many countries, as far away as Italy. We have remodeled the cafeteria plus rooms with 17 new two-bed suites and a large meeting room. The old men’s and women’s dorms are to be remodeled next.
Dr. Patrick and team during inaugural pediatric general anesthesia surgery day.
A view of the remodeled 1st-floor cafeteria, the 2nd-floor new meeting room, the 17 two-bed suites on both floors, with the old dorms on the near left of the photo.
Veterinarian Dr. Dennys Marroquin with Houston student leader Jackson Valencia during the presentation.
Each year we have special features that inform, motivate, and are unique to that year. This year we had two local veterinarians put on a show-and-tell-program one evening. It was intriguing and exciting. Both have worked with us through the years as assistants so they can learn to do good quality dental care for their animal clients. Being a part of an international veterinarian rescue group, they had an awe-inspiring video and photo presentation.
The 2022 T. Bob’s Student Dental Mission Trip team on Cross Mountain overlooking the City of Antigua, with an active volcano as the background mountain, during their Wednesday Rest and Recreation Day.
Since starting this mission in 2012, we brought portable dental units and equipment that had to be rented. Now, we have it all stored on-site, thanks to many donors who made the upgrades possible. Quick disconnects and efficient benches, stools, and portable supply storage make for better quality and timely care. Everyone uses headlamps for light.
Working together with a dental school in the area makes for wonderful collegiality and fraternity! That is what ADI is all about, serving others throughout the world!
