Opportunities for Pre-Dental Students

Orphanage Outreach - Health Corps Pre-Dental Opportunities

Your university pre-dental society or dental society is invited to join Orphanage Outreach - Health Corps in the Dominican Republic this spring break. Your team will be providing dental health education in local schools and rural communities; covering topics including:

• Dental Anatomy
• Plaque, Cavities, and Gum Disease
• Nutrition - Healthy and Unhealthy Foods
• Brushing and Flossing

Dental health education is key to improving dental health in this economically disadvantaged area in the Dominican Republic along the Haiti border.

Dental Health Curriculum

• Dental Health Vocabulary

Your health education classes will be taught in Spanish. You will be teaching in teams of 4-5 people. For every four health students, we encourage you to bring along one Spanish speaker. Contact the modern languages department at your school, and invite the Spanish majors to get involved on your health trip. It's a great opportunity for Spanish Majors to practice and expand their Spanish.

Health Teams 2009

Health teams joining us in 2009 included teams from:

• North Carolina State University
• University of North Carolina
• Pepperdine University
• University of Tampa
• Michigan State University
• Manchester Community College
• Central Michigan University
• College of Mt. St. Vincent
• Rutgers University
• University of Wyoming
• Boston College
• Penn State University
• Temple University
• University of Missouri
• Boise State University

"The highlights were being able to make children smile and laugh. When we taught dental hygiene in the school the students were so excited! When I read with children at the orphanage they were excited to read to me. When I brushed children's teeth in the bateys they were so excited about someone taking the time to brush their teeth and give them a toothbrush! It was an amazing opportunity."
Terry Hartman, University of North Carolina, Spring 2009

"I am a Pre-Dental Biology/Spanish major at University of Missouri, and this trip fully encompassed my academic passion and life goals. Working in the dental clinic was absolutely one of the best experiences of my life. We treated over one hundred and fifty people, and I was able to use my Spanish skills to help translate for the patients and dentists. Also the cultural immersion was quite an experience for me. Observing both the Dominican and Haitian way of life was incredible and will forever be in my memories. Finally, learning to find joy in the simple things in life was my greatest lesson learned during my stay at the orphanage. The children there have changed my life, and I know I made a difference in theirs."
Rebecca Kisling, University of Missouri, Spring 2009

Dental Clinics

In addition to Dental Health Education, during the five weeks between February 20th and March 27th, 2010 we plan to provide dental clinics in the banana worker villages near Monte Cristi. Your involvement with the dentists in the clinic will be dependent on the number of dentists participating, and the number of students joining us that week.

To ensure that your team is actively involved in the clinic, you will need to have a dentist join your team. Have each person on your team invite their family dentists to join you. If any of your team has family members who are dentists, that is another great opportunity to recruit dentists. Begin inviting today! Dentists' calendars are often filled up way in advance. Forward this page to the dentists who you know.

Dental Slideshow