In the News: The Davis Enterprise 01/23/2008

Spreading smiles:
Students bring dental, medical care to Bolivia

Original Article

Even a travel warning because of political tensions in Bolivia didn't prevent a group of 16 UC Davis students from bringing medical and dental care to the country's poverty-stricken residents last month.

The students, part of a nonprofit campus organization called Spreading Smiles, spent the week before Christmas in the heart of the South American jungle. They gave pain medication, antibiotics, dietary advice and teeth-cleaning services to more than 3,000 people.

'The American consulate in Bolivia posted a warning only a few days before we planned to leave. But, after an emergency meeting to decide whether we should continue on our humanitarian trip, the volunteers unanimously decided to go, regardless of the current unrest affecting the very airport where we would arrive,' says Cedric Papa, former vice president of Spreading Smiles.

Some of the volunteers, who are mostly pre-med and pre-dental students, had made a previous trip in March and were eager to increase their group's capacity to help more people. The 3,000 people served in December was triple the number served on their last visit.

Finding the people to help once Spreading Smiles arrived in Bolivia turned out to be no problem. The group's tour guide gathered people, and missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serving in Bolivia passed out fliers.

'That is how we had such large groups of people waiting wherever we went,' Papa said.

There were so many people that the group had to extend their hours and sometimes skip lunch or dinner, which they gladly did.

'We worked from sunrise to late into the night every day in an attempt to reach as many people as we could,' said Celia Sommer, vice president of Spreading Smiles.

Volunteers did not even stop for a power outage in Guayaramerin, one of the three cities they visited.

'We worked by candlelight and flashlights because the people kept coming,' Papa said.

Some of the typical cases the volunteers saw every day ranged from wounds that had become infected, diabetes complications, dehydration, constipation and severely decayed teeth. Sommer said many children had 'baby teeth completely decayed.'

Many of the adults had cavities on most of their molars.

'One man had so much calculus on his tooth,' Papa said, 'that his molar was shaped more like a canine tooth.' Papa was able to reshape it. He also treated several people with no teeth.

'They were surprised to hear that we could still clean their dentures for them and that they should still be brushing their gums and tongue,' he said.

One of the goals of Spreading Smiles was to help the Bolivians they encountered share with their friends and families what they had learned. The volunteers left teaching materials so the Bolivians could go home and teach others, along with 2,000 toothbrushes to give to those who weren't present. Some 'were willing to be trained for hours,' Papa said.

Papa first saw the Bolivians' plight when he was a missionary for the LDS church in South America several years ago.

'I learned so much during my mission about the living conditions, the poor diet and dental hygiene of the people there,' he said. 'Most people could never afford to see a dentist during the length of their lives and they knew very little about caring for their physical bodies.

'Though it requires initiative, motivation and removing oneself from your own comfort level, the positive and lasting effects that we made in the lives of these people overwhelmed the sacrifices we had to make.'

Many of the volunteers expressed similar thoughts about going to Bolivia.

'Simple things that we take for granted are often scarce and unheard of in Third World countries like Bolivia,' Sommer said. 'I felt good knowing that the knowledge I had could truly change their lives for the better. I might not know everything, but at least we can make little differences one at a time.'

Added Jorge Avila, a medical volunteer who doubled as a Spanish translator, 'I would definitely say it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It was very humbling, and it really puts into perspective what other people in Third World countries face as far as poverty and economic strength.'

Preparing for all this took months of work. Spreading Smiles' official dental supplier, Henry Schein, donated most of the supplies for the team, as well as toys to hand out. Hygiene kits were donated by the American Red Cross. Donated clothing also was available for those who received care.

In the weeks before the trip, the Spreading Smiles team met at the LDS church in Davis for training. There, they brushed up on their Spanish and learned teamwork from UC Davis lecturer Paul Salitsky. Cheryl Taylor, a humanitarian dental worker, focused on basic dental care in the Third World.

Avila found the organization ideal because it focuses on helping others. 'It is not some huge organization with headquarters and huge contracts to sign up for,' he said. 'Spreading Smiles is simply run by students and it is students helping others.'

Their work did not go unnoticed. While in Bolivia, the group was interviewed by two television networks. But thanks from the individuals they helped were memorable. One disabled man, who had built his own wheelchair, sang to the volunteers with his band while they worked. 'He was an extremely appreciative patient,' Papa said.

Volunteers had such a remarkable experience that they have plans to return. Others will continue to, even once they are practicing dentists, Papa said.

The Spreading Smiles group will give a presentation on their Bolivian trip at 8 p.m. Thursday in 26 Wellman Hall at UC Davis. The presentation is free and open to the public.

For more information on Spreading Smiles, or to make a donation, visit http://www.spreadingsmiles.org.

- Lisa Dettman is a Davis resident.



Find out more

What: Spreading Smiles students give a presentation on their trip to Bolivia

When: 8 p.m. Thursday

Where: 26 Wellman Hall, UC Davis



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