“The Power of Collaboration and Compassion:” GSDM Class of 2025 International Elective Externship Participants Discuss Aboard Clinical Experiences in Rural Communities
During the 2024-2025 academic year, GSDM students, alumni, and faculty participated in “mission trips” to five countries as part of the school’s International Elective Externship program, which offers fourth-year DMD students an opportunity to provide dental care outside of a typical clinical situation to individuals who lack regular access to care.
Casey Stillson, assistant director of international programs, said these externships allow students to see firsthand how their dental skills can dramatically improve someone’s quality of life. These global experiences not only enrich students’ dental education but remind them of the need for greater access to oral healthcare globally, according to Stillson.
“These externships are more than just a clinical opportunity—they’re a transformative experience,” Stillson said. “Our students return with a renewed sense of purpose and a deep commitment to using their training to serve others, whether across the globe or in their own neighborhoods.”
During an informational session on April 29, students who participated in the program shared their experiences.
Bahamas: Glo Good Foundation
January 13-24, 2025
Jared Jacobson DMD 25, Shahzad Mumtaz DMD 24 PEDO 26, Hannah Kilbride DMD 24 ORTHO 27, Dr. Breno Reboucas PEDO 12 Oral Biology 07, director of predoctoral pediatric dentistry and clinical associate professor of general dentistry and pediatric dentistry, and Dr. Michelle Henshaw SPH 96 DPH 07, associate dean of global & population health and professor of health policy & health services research
This group visited Eleuthera, Bahamas with the Glo Good Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing dental and medical services, supplies, and education to communities in need.
Jacobson said the trip was split into two parts: Working in schools around the island and then working in a fully functioning clinic. In the schools, they were practicing minimally invasive dentistry by providing children with exams and silver diamine fluoride treatment. If a child needed an extraction or filling on a permanent tooth, they were then referred to the clinic.
“I was able to really increase my skills and confidence, specifically with pediatric extractions,” Jacobson said. “[It] was a great learning experience.”
He added that the clinic was a collaborative environment and said it was great to be able to work alongside fellow dental professionals.
“It was great to be able to meet so many new people. We all loved our experience on the trip,” Jacobson said. “Since Dr. Henshaw and her team have been going for years and have a strong relationship with Glo Good in the schools, we felt so welcomed in Eleuthera. Everyone was there for each other and making sure that we were providing the best care possible but also learning as much as we can.”
Panama: NEVOSH
January 18-26, 2025
Aisha Daigle DMD 25, John Kane DMD 25, Riley Pearson DMD 25, and Christina Thompson DMD 06
This group visited Churuquita Grande, Panama with NEVOSH (Northeast Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity), an organization of dentists, optometrists, medical doctors, nurses, opticians, and others who provide vision and health care to those who cannot otherwise obtain it.
Kane said they were part of an 11-person dental team that included one hygienist, one endodontist, one oral surgeon, and eight general dentists. The team set up a clinic out of a local school, and every morning, there was a line down the road with patients looking from care. Over four days, the dental team saw 506 patients.
“Due the high volume of patients, it was very important to have speed efficiency and that was made easier because we had so many people there that could help coach us through everything and help show us how to do the proper treatment and make sure we were doing everything that we needed to do,” Kane said. “It was a super-fast paced week. Having a supportive experience as a dentist made the trip an incredible learning experience. We learned a ton in those four days.”
After providing dental care, Kane said the GSDM team were able to travel to Panama City for two days to do some sightseeing and immerse themselves in local experiences. It was Kane’s first time traveling to Central America, and he said the trip was an opportunity to immerse himself in a new culture both professionally and personally.
“I’m never going to forget this mission trip,” Kane said. “It was a really great experience, and I was very happy to share it with the other BU students.”
Guatemala: BU GSDM
March 14-30, 2025
Team 1: Aayushi Garg DMD 25, Astha Parmar DMD 25, Chad Vitiello DMD 25, Deyar Dashti DMD 25, Nasser Kamali DMD 93, Dr. Michelle Henshaw SPH 96 DPH 07, associate dean of global & population health and professor of health policy & health services research, and Dr. Thomas Kilgore, professor of oral & maxillofacial surgery
Team 2: Arjen Michael Aquino DMD 25, Qi Ming Lao DMD 25, Tim Huang DMD 25, Usamah Farooqi DMD 25, and Nathaniel “Boone” Caldon DMD 07
Two teams from GSDM visited Poptun, Guatemala.
Parmar said their clinic was set up inside a local church. Every day, the dental team saw between 40 to 50 patients of all ages. According to Parmar, they did a lot of extractions; she said it was difficult to see 12-year-old children losing molars.
“It was really heartbreaking to see because of the lack of access to regular care. They were losing teeth at such an early age, but we were able to help a lot of people get out of pain by doing these extractions,” Parmar said.
Aquino said the team had to be really creative to make everything work, including turning lawn chairs into makeshift dental chairs.
“It really challenged your skills as the clinician [to] try to get creative, try to work with what you have to make sure that the patient gets out of pain and discomfort as soon as possible,” Aquino said. “[The] demand was honestly sometimes overwhelming, especially the first few days. People were already lined up at 7 a.m. and we didn’t stop till every patient was seen, sometimes not heading back until it got quite dark.”
Despite the challenges, Aquino said it was worth it to be able to provide care to these patients
“There’s something actually very humbling about hearing a patient’s thanks after a very long day of extractions and restorations,” Aquino said.
Parmar said the overall experience of working with the Guatemalan community was rewarding.
“It was incredibly meaningful to be able to provide care to communities who are not only in need, but also so appreciative and kind,” Parmar said. “Their gratitude reminded me of the deep impact that compassionate care can have on this population.
Honduras: Cape CARES
March 22-29, 2025
Emely Cepeda DMD 25
Emely Cepeda DMD 25 visited San Marcos, Honduras, with Cape CARES, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that delivers high-quality, community-based care to people living in rural areas.
She said many of the patients her team saw had been waiting five months for them to arrive, and some even traveled four hours on foot through the rugged mountains. Cepeda added that many of the patients were in significant pain from infections that had gone untreated or had undiagnosed conditions. In one week, she extracted over 200 teeth and applied hundreds of fluoride treatments.
However, it wasn’t the clinical needs that stood out to Cepeda. She said she vividly remembers the gratitude, humility, and strength of every person she met and treated in Honduras.
“We weren’t just providing medical and dental treatment,” Cepeda said. “We were offering compassion, restoring dignity, and creating connections that transcended language, culture, and religion.”
The trip to Honduras reinforced for Cepeda why she wanted to become a dentist. She said it highlighted how dentistry is not just about fixing teeth, but also about serving patients with empathy, skill, and purpose.
“This trip wasn’t just a highlight of my dental education,” Cepeda said. “It was a turning point in the kind of provider and person I want to be.”
Nicaragua: Superemos
March 30 – April 7, 2025
Ashley Zhang DMD 25, Michael Badaoui DMD 25, Teresa Reis DMD 25, Pryscilla Acosta DMD 23 DPH 25, Dr. Michelle Henshaw SPH 96 DPH 07, associate dean of global & population health and professor of health policy & health services research, and Dr. Breno Reboucas PEDO 12 Oral Biology 07, director of predoctoral pediatric dentistry and clinical associate professor of general dentistry and pediatric dentistry
This group traveled to Estelí, Nicaragua, with Superemos, a non-profit foundation devoted to education and training programs for low-income families.
Zhang said they worked at a dental clinic alongside Nicaraguan dental students. They primarily treated pediatric patients up to age six, doing everything from silver diamine fluoride treatment to extractions. In total, they treated more than 150 patients in the clinic.
The GSDM team also worked with a group of local dental students at nearby schools to apply fluoride to students’ teeth and to distribute toothbrushes and toothpaste. They also trained teachers on how to apply fluoride and provide supplies so that the applications could continue after the trip concluded.
She said it was rewarding to see how patients who previously received silver diamine fluoride treatment were returning with little to no new lesions. Over the course of the trip, Zhang said she grew more confident in her patient management skills and deepened her love of teaching.
“I can speak for the three of us when I say this was truly a remarkable experience,” Zhang said. “One thing that stood out was how comfortable some of the children were with the process. They would calmly sit down in front of you, open their mouths, and wait for us to begin, proof of how integrated this care has become in their routine.”
The group got to spend the weekend in Granada. Zhang said they explored streets, tried local cuisines, and learned how chocolate is made at the Granada Chocolate Museum. From experiencing the local culture to teaching silver diamine fluoride application, Zhang said the trip was a one-of-a-kind experience.
“If I could leave you with one message, it would be this: If you’re even remotely considering an international elective externship, go for it. This was an unbelievably fulfilling and educational experience. You help hundreds of children, you impact the next generation of Nicaraguan dentists, and you come along with a broader worldview, meaningful friendships, and a deeper appreciation for the power of collaboration and compassion.”