WHO WAS ON YOUR TEAM?
6 faculty members, 8 third-year dental students and 1 second-year dental student
WHAT WAS THE MAIN GOAL OF THE MISSION?
To provide free dental care and oral health education to the community of Granja Porcon, in conjunction with our local partner, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas.
WHERE DID YOU TRAVEL?
Granja Porcon, Cajamarca, Peru
WHAT WORK DID THE TEAM DO DURING THE MISSION?
We worked at two schools as well as our makeshift clinic. 150 patients were treated and our care included comprehensive exams, prophylaxis (cleaning), scaling, restorations, extractions, fluoride varnish and oral health instruction.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR OVERALL EXPERIENCE ON THIS TRIP.
Our team was extremely humbled by how warmly the residents of Granja Porcon welcomed us into their community and entrusted us with their care. We will never forget the valuable connections we made with our patients, the UPC team and one another, and I am incredibly proud to have planned and led this meaningful trip. Our success was a testament to teamwork, dedication and the importance of navigating new experiences with an open heart.
HOW DID FIGS HELP YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY?
FIGS allowed us to be physically comfortable in an otherwise challenging work environment, where we used lawn chairs as dental chairs and did our best to maintain high standards of care in a rudimentary setting. T4T also allowed us to look professional and uniform, which helped us represent ourselves and Tufts Dental in a positive manner to our patients.
DESCRIBE YOUR TRIP IN THREE WORDS.
Humbling, inspiring, unforgettable
