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Volume1 Issue5
I
ssues and
P
eople
helpingus fund thesepurchases to
deliver careat the level thatwewant.”
Changing lives
TheSperoway teamshavebegun
tocreate lastingchange. Theyare
revisitingcommunities for the third
or fourth timeand seeingdramatic
improvements in thecaries rates and
thegeneral oral healthof thepatients.
“Unfortunately,manypartsof Central
Americahavebeen subjected to
dietmodernization, and it has just
playedhavocon their dentitions,”
saysDr. Cottrell. “This is coupled
withnopreventiveprograms—
many individualshavenever seena
toothbrushor toothpaste, sowe’re
often starting from scratch. But it is
soencouraging to returnand see
theprograms running successfully,
and know that ourwork ismakinga
difference.”
The team’sgoal is to improve the long-
termoral healthof thecommunities
it serves.Whileextractions comprise
about 30%of thework theyperform,
thevolunteers try toaddress all aspects
of oral healthcare. “We try towork in
termsof restoration,” saysDr. Cottrell.
“Not just to removeabscessed teeth,
but to restore self-esteemand to take
thediscomfort anddiseaseout of
people’smouths.”
Topromote the
sustainability
of their efforts,
thevolunteers
workedalongside
localmedical professionals toconvey
the standardsof care that should
bedeliveredbyhealthprofessionals
worldwide. “Part ofwhatwedo in
thesemissions is to serve ina teaching
capacity, providingcontinuing
educationandhands-on learning
opportunities for local healthcare
providers,” saysDr. Cottrell. “The
ultimategoal is that eventually they
People sometimes forget that you canhelpunderserviced
individuals in situations of highneed right here in your own
community.
Dr. JackCottrell
