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Recommendations of the LDS Charities Dental Task Committee

Much has been learned as the Dental Task Committee has supported the dental missionaries who have served-- the Tuellers, the Cooleys, the Meyers, the Morris', the Smiths, the Hammers, and the Francis'.

The Dental Task Committee makes the following recommendations:

1. We recommend that Humanitarian Service missionaries have two purposes:
   A. Provide training for dental school faculty, and clinical students in their last year of school.
   B. Provide community humanitarian dental services.
2. We recommend a four dental unit clinic be constructed and equipped for each teaching location where a dentist couple is called, in advance of the missionary arriving, if possible. Every dentist has different skills, different strengths in different areas of dentistry. Dental specialists can serve in their specialties. Dentists should not be asked to do or teach more than the dentistry that they have previously been doing. If a missionary is strong in endodontic therapy, he teaches that more. If he is strong in surgery, he teaches that, etc.
3. We recommend that missionary dentists arrange that students and faculty appoint patients in their four chair clinic, and that the missionaries then help the student or faculty member do the dental care. The missionary teaches and demonstrates on those patients what he has previously routinely done.
4. We recommend that volunteer dental teachers, including specialists, supplement the teachings of the dentist missionaries. These teachers travel to the site of the missionary and teach the dental school faculty and students and local dentists. Teaching for a week has been very effective.
5. We recommend that past missionary dentists help train future missionary dentists before they leave. Teaching materials and equipment can be provided for each missionary.