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Service Project at San Marcos Dental School a Great Success

Volunteers representing the LDS Academy of Dentists joined together during the week of May 6-10,2002 at the San Marcos Dental School in Lima, Peru to participate in a dental service project. Rick Meyers, who previously had been a member of the faculty while serving there as a missionary, was in charge of the project.

Also involved was Rick's wife, Alma and his dental assistant, Christine Connor. They live in Victorville, California. Others participating were Dallas E. Murdoch, from Grace, Idaho, Ron and Bar Dee Miller, from American Falls, Idaho, Steve and Linda Barnard and their daughter Amy from Idaho Falls, Idaho, Francis Alder from Ridgefield, Washington, his son Brian, from Vancouver, Washington, Geoffrey and Kaye Berg from Albany, Oregon, Kendal and Arlene Chapman, from Centennial, Colorado, Ray Tuckett from Mesa, Arizona and Bill Taft, of Bridgerland Dental Supply of Taylorsville, Utah.

This was the third dental service project at the school that involved the Academy. The others were held during October of 2000 and April of 2001. Each project has improved over the previous ones, and this one was no exception. One hundred and twenty students volunteered to assist and well over six hundred patients were treated during the week. Each volunteer was asked to bring one suitcase full of supplies. What wasn't used during the project was then either donated to the school, to the students or retained by the Academy for other projects. Bill Taft, an experienced dental equipment repairman, performed an invaluable service by repairing defective equipment and being available when we needed him.

Prior to the project, the school placed a banner that was visible to the public, informing them of the project and that free dentistry would be available. There was no shortage of patients. During the project, volunteers were asked to work in diagnosis, where they had the first contact with the patients. The patients were then routed either to the main clinic where routine operative procedures were performed, or to endodontics or oral surgery, depending on their needs. Volunteers were also sent on several occasions to staff a satellite clinic where additional dentistry was performed. Students were involved in all of these stations and where they were qualified they were allowed to perform some of the dentistry. On Friday, the project was closed to the public and members of the staff of the dental school were invited to receive care. The many patients whose work was unfinished will be contacted by the school later and invited to return. They will become an excellent source of patients for students in the future, enabling them to fulfill their requirements.

During the week, there were many opportunities by the academy volunteers to answer questions about what motivated us to perform this service. The students were amazed when they saw how well we worked together even though most of us had never met prior to the project. It gave us an opportunity to teach gospel principles and to bear our testimony. Many Books of Mormon and other church literature were passed out. They seem to have a deep desire for knowledge, both secular and spiritual. Needless to say, many tears were shed. Perhaps this spiritual legacy will be our greatest contribution to the future of these students.

On the Tuesday evening of the project, we enjoyed a session at the Lima Temple. Other evenings were spent shopping, seeing cultural highlights of the city, or just relaxing. Some of the group came home on Friday evening and the rest took a side trip to Cusco and Macchu Picchu. All were excited with the events that transpired and are looking forward someday to returning and participating in another similar project.