In April, I joined a group of doctors, nurses, hygienists, and support staff to visit Suqian China, Jiangsu Province, on a dental humanitarian trip. Our goal was to serve the needy – the poor, orphaned , and elderly. A plastic surgeon was also joining to treat cleft palates which have a much greater frequency in China. It was a great group of people from across the country led by Dr Karl Koerner, an oral surgeon from the Salt Lake City area, and Dr Scott Stucki also from Salt Lake.
The trip was as much human outreach as clinical care. We were given a welcome banquet by the Mayor of Suqian upon our arrival and the following morning an official Welcome Ceremony again with the Mayor and other local officials. Besides the clinical care, we visited special needs schools providing donations, gifts and toys. We also visited universities with the hygienists giving oral health care instructions. When asked how many had been to a dentist, in a room of over 200 only a few hands were raised! Routine dental care is not a norm in the region we visited. The dental needs of those we saw in the clinic were overwhelming and multiple extractions became the common treatment. Tooth decay was extensive and periodontal disease common.
We were working in a dental hospital and it was also an opportunity for local dentists to see firsthand new techniques, instruments and materials that we had brought with us for donation. They were so interested in every item we were using. Our language barrier was overcome by six dentists that were our escorts and translators.
Our non clinical time provided us a chance to get an introduction to Chinese culture and a brief tour at the end of the trip took us to Guilin with its very unique and scenic hills, and to Longji with the carved rice terraces high in the hills. After an extra day in Shanghai it was back to work in Glendale with great memories and stories to share. On rare occasions a trip comes together with super people and bonds that will form friendships for life.