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Late Dr. Harold G. Herr of Ephrata Pennsylvania U S A, had experience as a Health Volunteer Overseas in Africa two years ago. After consultation with a Fellow ADI Fellow elected to volunteer for a two- week period in July of 2000. He brought along with him donations, equipment and materials from major health care industry companies and individuals. Menno Travel arranged for the transportation, visas and necessary customs forms etc.
Following a delay in Manaus, he finally arrived at Santarem deep in the Amazon. There he found a modern 6 chair dental clinic in the midst of poverty. There he found well trained staffed and thus were able to treat 18-25 patients a day.. This equated to about 45-50 restorations and 10 extractions per day. Emphasis was placed on the pediatric dentistry (pulpotomys) and endodontics for selected adults. In addition, ms Victoria Vick, a hygienist from Ohio distributed new OH equipment and translated preventive dentistry materials in to Portuguese.
During the two weeks period the Volunteer Dental Team had time take a jungle river cruise and a week- end fishing trip. These are all vivid memories of two weeks at the Fundac o Esperanca in Santarem, Brazil.
The patients were very receptive to this "foreign dental team" who could not communicate in their own language however clinic organization and overcoming language and cultural differences did not interrupt the provision of high quality operative and preventive dental care to a needy population.
Ron and Vera Bertagnoli, Don Whitcome and all staff members are to be thanked and congratulated on their Volunteer Project.
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