Message Boards
Today's Active Topics Today's Active Cases Browse Forum Categories My Recent Activity My Messages Private Groups My Marked Threads My Subscriptions
Today's Active Images Today's Active Polls Most Active Topics Global Townie Map Advanced Message Board Search Message Board Terms of Use

Basic Needs Abroad by Trisha O’Hehir RDH, MS

Start Discussion More by this author (282)
Research is part of any volunteer trip providing oral health care. Asking questions and seeking answers. That’s how I looked at my AD World Health trip to the Manjushree orphanage in Tawang, India a few years ago. It was primarily a medical trip to assess medical needs based on reports of eye and skin problems. My task was to collect information on basic oral health needs of the children in order to plan future dental visits providing the necessary restorative care. Of course I also provided oral hygiene instructions and brought several copies of my cartoon book, The Toothpaste Secret. Things are not always as they seem. The eye and skin problems were directly related to the location of the orphanage, at 10,000 feet. Children often had school classes outside in the sun and in winter, the sun reflected off the snow creating both eye strain and sunburn. Sunglasses and hats quickly remedied those problems.

Other problems encountered during our visit were due to poor general hygiene and shared toothbrushes. The children all had lice, which was treated primarily by short haircuts and secondarily by shampooing with anti-lice soap. They all seemed to have a runny nose and cold. This was attributed to the lack of basic hand washing and the shared toothbrushes. Teaching how to correctly wash their hands and making sure hands were washed after going to the toilet and before meals was new for them.

Toothbrushing was done with communal toothbrushes. A basket of brushes was available in the boys and the girls bathroom. Children simply took a brush when it was time to brush and tossed it back when they were done. To ensure that each child had their own toothbrush, a toothbrush holder with places for 60 brushes was devised from a long plank of wood. Each child was assigned a numbered slot. Now kids can keep from sharing toothbrushes. For the first time, the children were able to have their own toothbrush.

Oral health data gathering was done by creating a dental chart for each child to identify the general dental needs of the group. This information was then available when a dentist next visited the orphanage. All the children seen the first day were dentally healthy. This was a pleasant surprise. When I mentioned this to the monk in charge he asked if I was now ready for the “bad” ones. Those were the children I saw the next day with a lot of caries.

Anticipating the need for some extractions of deciduous teeth, forceps and anesthesia were packed for the trip. Eight children with abscessed deciduous teeth were anesthetized and the teeth extracted. Later that night I visited the children as they were being put to bed, to be sure all the gauze was removed from their mouths and that they were all doing fine. The next morning, a long line of children was waiting for the dental clinic to open. Surprised at this, I asked the teacher why the children were there before we were ready for them. The teacher replied that the children came themselves and after questioning them it became clear and very surprising to me that each child wanted a tooth extracted! Upon further questioning it seemed they all wanted a tooth extracted because the day before, the children who had teeth extracted were given special attention when I visited their dorm, gave them a hug and tucked them into bed. They all wanted the same. I reassured them I would hug and tuck them in without extracting a tooth!
Dentaltown Magazine
September 2025
Dentaltown Magazine September 2025 Read Current Issue Read Archived Issues
Sponsors
Townie Perks
Townie® Poll
Who or what do you turn to for most financial advice regarding your practice?
  
Site Menu
Message Boards Magazine Continuing Education Podcasts Blogs Classifieds Dental News Events Townie® Poll Ebooks Townie Choice Awards
Company Info
Contact Us Advertise With Us Howard Farran DDS, MBA Policies and Agreements
Site Help
Sally Gross, Member Services Specialist
Phone: +1-480-445-9710
Email: sally@farranmedia.com
©2025 Dentaltown, a division of Farran Media • All Rights Reserved
9633 S. 48th Street Suite 200 • Phoenix, AZ 85044 • Phone:+1-480-598-0001 • Fax:+1-480-598-3450