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Academy Members Staff LDS Charities Dental Task Committee

The LDS Charities Dental Task Committee is organized by LDS Charities to help the dental missionaries serving under the direction of Humanitarian Services. LDS Charities is know as Humanitarian Services of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where the Church is recognized, and as LDS Charities where the Church is not recognized.

Garry Flake, President of Humanitarian Services is the chairman of the Dental Task Committee. Gary Winters and Michelle Inkley over Asia for LDS Charities attend every meeting. The Academy has provided the dentists to serve on the committee. The committee has met about every 3 months.
Committee members are: 
John Gerritsen, Vice President of the Academy over Service 
Jerry Summerhays, coordinator of the committee, liaison to the Academy. 
Bob Cooley, return dental missionary to Indonesia
Rick Meyer, return dental missionary from Peru 
Terry Morris, return dental missionary from Indonesia.
Richard Christensen, over dental equipment

Dr. Richard and Norma Smith were called to serve at the University of Indonesia Dental School in Jakarta, Indonesia. 
Dr. Gary and LaRee Hammer were called to serve in the Gadja Mada University Dental School in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. LaRee is a dental hygienist.
Dr. Ralph and Charla Francis were called to serve in the Airlangga University Dental School in Surabaya, Indonesia.

Four chair clinics were funded in all three of these dental schools, but only the clinic in Jakarta was completed before the September 11 terrorism caused the missionaries to be pulled out of Muslim Indonesia. The Hammers are in Bangkok, Thailand. The Smiths and Francis's are in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Their reports are that dental projects are tremendously needed in Cambodia, but not in Thailand. It is not known if and when missionaries will return to Indonesia. Dental projects are being submitted for Cambodia.

Articles will be coming from the missionaries so we can know of their missions.

We as members of the Church and the Academy need to remember and thank Pelton and Crane dental equipment company. Let us remember that Pelton and Crane donated 6 dental chairs, 6 delivery systems, 6 doctor stools, and 6 dental assistant stools to the Academy, so that Rick and Alma Meyers had a clinic in which to work. When Rick and Alma left, the clinic was donated to the school. It is being used by the school as Rick and Alma used it-- advanced students and faculty practice dentistry under ideal modern conditions. Pelton and Crane's donation allowed Rick and Alma to demonstrate to LDS Charities leaders how potent dental missionaries can be if they are just given a clinic in which to work. After the Lima project the Church is now willing to fund clinics for their dental missionaries. Again, thanks to Pelton and Crane