1.What did you enjoy the most from the dental brigades trip?
From my previous Winter 2016 Global Dental Brigades trip, what I personally enjoyed the most was experiencing a glimpse of what it is like to give back to a community as a dentist. All the while I was learning dentistry with a group of wonderful strangers who became lifelong friends who shared the same passion for dentistry. This combination furthered my passion to pursue dentistry.
2.What did you learn on that trip?
While there was much to learn from the trip, the important things I learned included learning how to properly count the teeth in your mouth the way a dentist does, how to quickly signal out a cavity, how to identify an adult vs baby tooth, how to properly extract teeth, use anesthesia, and so much more! There was not a day where I did not learn something new about dentistry.
3.What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The most surprising thing I did personally was able to hold and inject lidocaine properly, how much force it takes to extract a tooth, and much more. Besides doing, the most surprising thing I saw was abscess and pus formation after an extraction, which was really cool.
4.What was it like spending time with the doctors and patients?
The time I spent with the doctors and patients made me feel at ease and as if I was at home. The doctors treated us with such respect and wanted to share their knowledge, experience, and passion for dentistry with us. Also, coming to the communities we worked at, the patients were all eager for their dental care and treated us with lots of respects. We even played catch with the children while also teaching them about proper oral hygiene at the educational charla.
5.Favorite memory?
In my opinion, my favorite memory had to be staying up late at night listening to the stories the dentists had to share not only about dentistry, but about the culture, food, ghost stories, drinks, and much more. It really made me value what I have in my life as I was reminded to not take things for granted.
6.What is something you wish you could’ve changed?
During my brigade, one thing I wish I could have changed would probably be the amount of things I packed because I mostly wore scrubs for work days and lighter clothes afterward. On the other hand, I also wish I asked more questions than the amount I did. It is a once in a lifetime experience and being able to gain valuable knowledge from such professional dentists is a must.
7.If you could, would you do it again? Would you recommend others to do dental brigades?
I personally plan to lead a future brigade before the end of my undergraduate career. Honduras has powered my passion for dentistry and going back would mean a lot to me. There are certain lessons we can listen and see in Honduras that we would typically only read about here in the United States. Personally, I recommend and encourage any or all pre-dental students to go on a dental brigade with the Global Dental Brigades.
8.What is something you would tell other pre-dental students or dental brigade members?
To keep it short, one thing I would tell other pre-dental students or dental brigade members would be to first persevere adversity, encourage yourself, and fuel your passion. The journey to becoming a dentist may not be the easiest, so persevering adversities on the road are needed. When faced with such adversities, it is important to keep encouraging yourself to keep going and to try your best. Lastly, it all comes down to your passion. Dentistry is a worthwhile and meaningful career where you can make a difference in someone’s life. Fueling that passion with an event such as the Global Dental Brigades is worthwhile.
9.Is there anything else you’d like to add?
One thing I would like to add is to let pre-dental students know that it is important to be able to gain a broad knowledge of all types of specialties in the field of dentistry. Each type of specialty places an important role in improving oral healthcare one tooth at a time.
From my previous Winter 2016 Global Dental Brigades trip, what I personally enjoyed the most was experiencing a glimpse of what it is like to give back to a community as a dentist. All the while I was learning dentistry with a group of wonderful strangers who became lifelong friends who shared the same passion for dentistry. This combination furthered my passion to pursue dentistry.
2.What did you learn on that trip?
While there was much to learn from the trip, the important things I learned included learning how to properly count the teeth in your mouth the way a dentist does, how to quickly signal out a cavity, how to identify an adult vs baby tooth, how to properly extract teeth, use anesthesia, and so much more! There was not a day where I did not learn something new about dentistry.
3.What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The most surprising thing I did personally was able to hold and inject lidocaine properly, how much force it takes to extract a tooth, and much more. Besides doing, the most surprising thing I saw was abscess and pus formation after an extraction, which was really cool.
4.What was it like spending time with the doctors and patients?
The time I spent with the doctors and patients made me feel at ease and as if I was at home. The doctors treated us with such respect and wanted to share their knowledge, experience, and passion for dentistry with us. Also, coming to the communities we worked at, the patients were all eager for their dental care and treated us with lots of respects. We even played catch with the children while also teaching them about proper oral hygiene at the educational charla.
5.Favorite memory?
In my opinion, my favorite memory had to be staying up late at night listening to the stories the dentists had to share not only about dentistry, but about the culture, food, ghost stories, drinks, and much more. It really made me value what I have in my life as I was reminded to not take things for granted.
6.What is something you wish you could’ve changed?
During my brigade, one thing I wish I could have changed would probably be the amount of things I packed because I mostly wore scrubs for work days and lighter clothes afterward. On the other hand, I also wish I asked more questions than the amount I did. It is a once in a lifetime experience and being able to gain valuable knowledge from such professional dentists is a must.
7.If you could, would you do it again? Would you recommend others to do dental brigades?
I personally plan to lead a future brigade before the end of my undergraduate career. Honduras has powered my passion for dentistry and going back would mean a lot to me. There are certain lessons we can listen and see in Honduras that we would typically only read about here in the United States. Personally, I recommend and encourage any or all pre-dental students to go on a dental brigade with the Global Dental Brigades.
8.What is something you would tell other pre-dental students or dental brigade members?
To keep it short, one thing I would tell other pre-dental students or dental brigade members would be to first persevere adversity, encourage yourself, and fuel your passion. The journey to becoming a dentist may not be the easiest, so persevering adversities on the road are needed. When faced with such adversities, it is important to keep encouraging yourself to keep going and to try your best. Lastly, it all comes down to your passion. Dentistry is a worthwhile and meaningful career where you can make a difference in someone’s life. Fueling that passion with an event such as the Global Dental Brigades is worthwhile.
9.Is there anything else you’d like to add?
One thing I would like to add is to let pre-dental students know that it is important to be able to gain a broad knowledge of all types of specialties in the field of dentistry. Each type of specialty places an important role in improving oral healthcare one tooth at a time.