Bringing Happiness and Oral Healthcare to Mexico

Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) Assistant Director of Extramural Programs and longtime Project Stretch volunteer Kathy Held led a team of volunteers to Teacapan, Mexico on a recent outreach trip. The GSDM team members included Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Frank Schiano, Robin Yamaguma DMD 10, and Ismael Montane DMD 10. The one-week trip, from March 20 to 27, gave the team the opportunity to screen and treat more than 250 underprivileged children.

"This was my fifth mission and my third time in Teacapan," said Held. "Each year I say, ‘it can’t get any better than this, so I will quit while I’m ahead,’ but each year has proven to be as unique and wonderful of an experience as the last one."

Held thought the week flew by and was thankful to all volunteers for their tireless efforts adding, "Dr. Schiano was a machine, providing more treatment with his partner, RN and Dental Assistant Cree Bruins, than anyone of us could fathom. While Dr. Schiano was reading the child’s records, Cree was preparing the child for treatment—they were a great chair-side team."

Bruins, who has been involved with Project Stretch for 15 years in nearly all capacities, echoed the teamwork sentiment adding, "I want to thank Kathy and the other BU team members for a wonderfully productive and thoroughly fabulous trip, both in and outside the clinic. Kathy did an incredible job selecting the group of talented students and faculty, who combined their skill, compassion, and energy to provide an amazing cooperative team effort. It was a pleasure to be a part of it all!"

For the team to work so efficiently each member had to do their part. Held described the roles of students Yamaguma and Montane, "Robin and Ish took turns working outside where they primarily concentrated on performing exams and atraumatic restorative treatment on deciduous teeth using hand instruments and glass ionomer filling material. They also took turns working inside where they had a fully operational dental unit to complete procedures including extractions, amalgams, and composites on permanent teeth.” Held continued, “Ish worked like a real trooper through the day and Robin was always so gentle with the children. After an extraction one child turned to her and gave her a big hug. I was so proud of them."

This was the first Project Stretch outreach trip for Dr. Schiano, Yamaguma, and Montane.

"I was so impressed with the organization of Project Stretch in Teacapan," said Dr. Schiano. "They have made tremendous progress over the last six years, growing from a small mission providing preventive services to a near-fully equipped dental clinic offering more involved and comprehensive restorative care. Perhaps the biggest reward was seeing the successful efforts of previous teams which helped me realize the difference we were making in the lives of these children and their families." Dr. Schiano continued, "This experience has left a lasting impression in my mind and heart."

Yamaguma added, "After two years of picking Kathy Held’s brain and resources for potential mission trip opportunities I finally got the chance to participate in one. Besides having the greatest Project Stretch team ever, we also had amazing support from the Amigos de Teacapan. It is awesome to see what a few committed individuals can do for the children of Teacapan." Yamaguma also commented on how the smiles and hugs from the children they treated inspired her adding, "They were rewarding enough to make me want to do another mission."

Montane was grateful to the Alumni Association for paying both his and Yamaguma’s airfare and added, "Thank you for selecting me to go to Teacapan. It has been an experience that will forever change my life and practice of dentistry." He looks forward to continuing work with Project Stretch after graduation.

Photos from the outreach trip are available on GSDM’s flickr account and Facebook page.