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LIMA PERU DENTAL SCHOOL CLINIC DEDICATED

The Humanitarian Service missionaries Dr. Rick Meyers and his wife Alma arrived in Lima in late January. They have established very good relationships with the administration, faculty, and students of the San Marcos Dental School. May 15th their 6 chair teaching clinic was dedicated. To know the details and feel the spirit of their marvelous service, please visit their web site: http://www.rickmeyers.com/.

We have supported Rick and Alma (eldermeyers@terra.com.pe) constantly. E-mail is such a great blessing. 

LDS Charities contacted the Academy 11/2 years before Rick and Alma were called. The Academy has provided the professional direction needed, while the Church called the missionary couple and shipped everything. Thanks to Dr. Jerry Summerhays, project coordinator, Dr. John Gerritsen, Academy Vice President over service, Dr. Richard Christensen and Dr. John Bevan who got everything together to ship to Peru, Dr. Alejandro Robles, Area Authority Seventy, who initiated the project, and Drs. Gordon Christensen and Joel Janis for providing educational materials.

We worked with some 40 companies to obtain the donated equipment and supplies. We owe so much to Pelton and Crane for donating 6 chairs and delivery systems and overhead lights and doctor and assistant stools. Another major donation was vacuum and compressor by MDS Matrix. Now that the clinic is up and running, both the San Marcos administration and the Academy are going to formally thank the many donors. Plaques and photos and letters will be involved as appropriate.

Dr. Meyers and the Academy are presently working with San Marcos to set up two satellite clinics manned by school faculty, dental students, and local dentists. We are providing three $500 Adec mobile units and $2,500 per clinic to set them up.

Rick's and Alma's and our work is only beginning! The following needs have been identified by San Marcos administrators and Rick. Can you help?

1. Three teams composed of dentist, hygienist, and assistant are requested October 15 to 21 to provide free service for the poor. Actually Rick would like 10 dentists. For 5 days over 100 chairs will be available for us and Peruvian dentists and students to do simple oral surgery, operative, hygiene, and some endo.
2. A three week to 3 month dentist (and spouse) is needed ASAP to help Rick and Alma. Spanish would be nice but not necessary. It could be a Church calling. Rick needs help instructing in the 6 chair clinic, creating teaching materials, establishing the two satellite clinics, and coordinating the dental teams going to Peru to help.
3. Dental teams are needed occasionally throughout the next few years, especially to help in the satellite clinics.
4. General dentists and specialists are needed to give lectures, demonstrations, and table clinics at a dental convention hosted by San Marcos for all of Peru October 22 to 30. English is fine; translators will be available. Gordon is not available on such short notice. Maybe Gordon can go next June.
   LDS Charities is willing to fund the transportation of the volunteers for the above 4 projects. A trip to Cuzco could be planned after your time of service.
5. A dentist to teach research methodology at San Marcos September 1 to 6. Dr. Robert Cooley is willing to go, but for administrative and philosophic reasons, LDS Charities will not fund this effort. We are trying to get other funding.

Please call Dr. Jerry Summerhays, 801-268-4436, evenings 6 - 11 pm, or Dr. John Gerritsen, 801-943-1446, evenings 6 to 11 pm, if you are considering helping with any of the above efforts.

Obviously donations of money are very much needed. Some items are better purchased locally.