June 27, 2002

June turned out to be "dental health month" for the people of Pohnpei and Yap, the two states visited by Canvasback dental teams this month.

The first team was led by Milford Anholm, DDS, Canvasback's dental committee chairman. The team consisted of three dentists, three dental students and a dental hygienist assembled from the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, where Dr. Anholm is a professor. The team spent the week of June 17 providing restorative, preventive and dental hygiene services in the dental clinic at the Pohnpei Hospital.

Dr. Anholm was pleased with the results of the trip. "We were welcomed and treated very well by the hospital staff," he said.  "The students gained excellent experience and we left a very good feeling behind."  They also left about $1,500 worth of supplies for the dental clinics use.

Right: Dental student Linda Tang
learned firsthand what it's like to provide
dental care in the mission field.

"There is a real need in Pohnpei for continuing education for the dental staff," Anholm added, "so we have agreed to try and arrange it." 

On the last day of the trip, dentist Jose Martorell gave a well-received lecture for the hospital physicians that included information on nutrition, tooth-brushing, and tips on patient education. For example, parents need to be taught that putting cola in baby bottles is not only bad nutrition but leads to small mouths that are full of decay. 

Left: The team brought balloons and small toys to entertain children who were frightened.

Assembled from the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry are,
from left: Judy Lim, RDH; dental students Yong Cha, Linda Tang,
and Benjamin Perez; Jose Martorell, DDS;
Milford Anholm, DDS; and Lyndle Lamberton, DDS.

The second dental team was led by Tom Wieg, DDS, Canvasback's board chairman. The 10-member team flew to Yap on June 20 for a two-week tour.  In addition to providing complete dental services, the team's goals were to teach new lab techniques and repair broken-down dental equipment in order to make the Yap dental clinic functional.

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